


Super-dad Oikawa

by Kuroi22



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Akaashi is Hinata's uncle, Anxiety Disorder, Bad Mother, Bad Parenting, Bullying, Car Accidents, Childhood Trauma, Family, Family Drama, Family Issues, Kid Hinata Shouyou, Kid Kageyama Tobio, M/M, Mention of Rape/Non-con, Minor Character Death, Obsession, Oikawa is the father of Tobio, Parenthood, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Sad Oikawa Tooru, Stalking, kid Tsukishima Kei, kid Yachi Hitoka, kid Yamaguchi Tadashi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-29
Updated: 2020-07-12
Packaged: 2021-02-28 07:09:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 77,643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22959946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kuroi22/pseuds/Kuroi22
Summary: Oikawa's life is perfect: he's studying at university, training to be a professional voleyball player, he's living with his boyfriend Iwaizumi at Tokio... He couldn't ask for more. But his dreams starts to shatter when he finds his newborn son, Tobio, abandoned at his door.
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou (sided), Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru
Comments: 80
Kudos: 422
Collections: Anu2020





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey~ Can Oikawa be a good dad for baby Tobio? Let's see if this family drama works out!

Oikawa Tooru let himself sink between the sofa cushions. Today the winter break was finally beginning, and his body was exhausted from combining university classes and volleyball workouts, but his mood was better than ever. His plan was to get a career while playing for the university team, and then jump to be a professional player. So far, he had managed to keep up for a year and a half, so Oikawa was optimistic about it. Nothing could take away that dream, everything was in front of him, he just had to reach it at the right time.

Therefore, he could now rest in his apartment in the big Tokyo, with the concern to wait for his boyfriend to finish preparing dinner. Iwaizumi brought two plates of homemade sushi, and put one of them in the stomach of Oikawa, who had not bothered to got up. He lifted his legs and sat down on the couch, putting them back in his lap and leaving the plate on top.

"Someday you could cook," he urged.

"Oh, Iwa-chan, you already make it phenomenal," Oikawa smiled and brought a sushi to his mouth.

"You won't learn to cook in your life."

"I have you~ Really, I don't know how having those rough hands you can do these delicate things," he said, watching the sushi.

"Well, smartass, today you take out the garbage."

"But we said to do it one day each, and yesterday I did it ~"

"Not my problem," said Iwaizumi, patting him on the leg. Oikawa complained a little, but sat up. Of course, before getting up and going to the kitchen, he stole the last sushi from Iwaizumi. "You should take the trash out every day, among fellow men they understand each other."

"Iwa-chan, fool." Oikawa stuck out his tongue and left the apartment leaving Iwaizumi washing the dishes.

Their apartment was located on the fifth floor of a building of ten, they were right in the center and had one of the smallest in terms of design. Being two, they didn't need much space: they had to give up the balcony, (Oikawa horrified by this, who wanted to be on the balcony on hot summer nights), and their only private room was the bathroom, as everything else (the bed, living room and kitchen) was all together. That was another misfortune for Oikawa, because on the nights when they grilled fish, the house filled with a smell that was too strong to let him sleep. Nonsense, according to Iwaizumi. What happened was that the boy was a spoiled first class dude, and that had nothing to do with fish.

Oikawa could complain about everything he wanted, but it was inevitable to be in such an apartment. At the moment, the idea was to stay during their university days because the economic level of both wasn't enough to have the Barbie house that he imagined so much. Although he had agreed with his mother to cover the university fees and he the apartment rent, his weekend job was not going to satisfy his whims of rich.

Besides, he was living with Iwa-chan, and that was worth all the pain.

He went down the stairs sulkily because the elevator had broken down again. He was lucky he was fit, his pretty legs couldn't stand so much effort. Oikawa had to run a little when he reached the street, because the truck was just picking up the garbage in the corner and he preferred to leave the task ready than not having to take it home again and wait in the morning. He arrived just in time and could breathe easy on the way back. He began to jump playing not to step on the sidewalk tile lines, humming a song, when he almost crashed into someone coming out of the portal of his block of flats. Oikawa stopped in time to hold the door, but the person who almost collided with him didn't stop to apologize or say goodbye, but ran away. Oikawa was a little confused, but blinked and went into the lobby to go up to his house.

Oikawa continued humming the little song while climbing the stairs. He was pushing the door of the house, which remained semi-open for not having to take out the keys when making a short journey to throw the garbage, when he saw it. There, being between him and the door, was a baby carrier. Yes, Iwaizumi joked about Oikawa being rubbish, but there was no need to leave things there. The containers were around the corner, it wasn't a long trip...but...

There was something moving in there. He was wrapped in a blanket and could hardly be seen, but his body moved in rhythm, breathing in a deep sleep. A small hand clung to the edge of the mantle. It was a baby.

That went beyond the line: his house was neither a dump to leave things nor an orphanage to leave babies. What joke was this?

His arm tensed and he ended up pushing the door hard, which hit the wall with a thud. The baby let out a small groan, about to wake up. Oikawa bit his lip, the last thing he wanted was for the baby to cry because it would be quite annoying.

"Iwa-chan..." he whispered. His eyes were still on the infant. "Iwa-chan, come!"

Iwaizumi's jaded sigh and his carefree footsteps could be heard down the hall until he reached the entrance.

"What have you lost, now?" Hh said, before noticing the baby. "Why is there a baby at our door, Oikawa!?"

"How would I know?! When I came down it wasn't there, and…" Oikawa then thought about the girl who ran away and almost collided with. "Was it her...?"

"I don't know what you're talking about but we have to do something with the child, hw can't stay here," said Iwaizumi. He then lifted the carrier to enter the baby at home. They couldn't discuss what to do on the hall. The baby protested. "Sorry, sorry…"

"Ah, something fell off," Oikawa warned. Iwaizumi just turned his head at the warning, but didn't stop to see what it was exactly. He went into the house to leave the baby on the couch. He bent down to look at him and see that he had woken up.

"Well... and who are you, huh?" The baby obviously didn't answer. He was too small to talk, Iwaizumi supposed he was a newborn.

Oikawa came down the aisle reading a paper that had fallen from the baby's carrier. Apparently, it was a letter probably written by the mother or a relative close to the child.

"My darling, you know how much I love you and how much I would like to be with you wherever you want, you know that I will follow you forever" he read, his nose wrinkled. “Our union was something fantastic, but I don't want to take care of a child, no matter how yours it is. The nurse who attended me said that the kid is fine and she named him, I think Tobio said. Do what you want with him. I only want you, and no one else in between"

And there it ended.

Oikawa sat slowly, eyes wide open. He didn't understand anything of that letter, it must be a mistake... Maybe the next door neighbor is responsible for that and they were at the wrong door! Yes, it sure was that... Because he had no children, he was just 19 years old. And he don't want to have them, by the way.

"What does this mean…?" Iwaizumi murmured, reading the sheet.

"I don't know..." said Oikawa, in the same tone of voice. "I swear I don't know anything, I'm faithful to you, I haven't been with anyone else and much less I'm leaving children around..."

"Let's see, let's see..." Iwaizumi sighed and scratched his chin, thinking. "Suppose it must have been nine months for the child to be born." And before you say it, I trust you, not only because I know you wouldn't do it, but we've been together for seven months. It doesn't add up… don't you remember anything from nine months ago?"

"I don't know... I mean, I would remember if I slept with someone, right?"

"Mmm..." Iwaizumi moved from the front of the baby to stare at his partner. Balancing, he put his hands on his shoulders to look him in the eye. "Listen, couldn't it have happened at the party? The one in which I found you so drunk that you didn't even recognize me"

"Was it that serious?" Iwaizumi nodded. "I don't remember anything about it."

"Well, maybe it was there..."

"Well... I don't know if this child is mine either!" It may be a mistake or... Or they want to leave me a with a problem that is not mine! I wasn't with anyone, I can't be their darling!"

"Won't you have slept with your ex?"

"Of course not! Our thing was years ago, and she isn't even in Japan. So..." he was going to continue looking for arguments, but he stopped immediately. Iwaizumi worried, whatever that silenced Oikawa was something out of the ordinary. "Unless…"

"What happens?"

"Impossible..."

"Say it, you're making me nervous!"

"Don't yell at me!" He whined, both were about to explode. "You remember that girl who followed me everywhere, right...?"

"The stalker one?" Oikawa bit his lip and bounced his leg. "But hey, did she keep harassing you and you didn't tell me?!"

"Because she stopped! I thought she wouldn't follow me anymore, that she would have forgotten his damn obsession, but... She was at that damn party! Her bag, that one with ugly flowers, was in the wardrobe. It was hers... I-I don't remember anything more than that, and it was at the beginning of the party..."

"Fuck..." Iwaizumi muttered, getting up. He put a hand to his head and circled the room, while Oikawa buried his face in his hands.

Iwaizumi felt the anger boiling his blood. Not only that meants the return of a girl who harassed Oikawa day and night, who believed herself ot be his girlfriend, but on top of that (and he was sure of that) she had taken advantage of Oikawa's drunkenness. Who in their right mind does something like that?! Iwaizumi had a lot of patience with Oikawa fans, but because he knew they were innocent. But that one gave problems from the first moment, and has reached this barbarity! Iwaizumi knew that if he found her now, he would not respond to reasons.

Letting out a growl, he kicked the TV cabinet, which staggered without falling miraculously. Given the noise, the baby began to cry and Oikawa jumped away from the sofa. He leaned against the wall, as if he wanted to sink into the stone so he won't have to see that creature anymore.

Iwaizumi was also nervous about his crying. He wasn't a person who hated children, much less, but in that situation his sobs stressed him. But as much as he and Oikawa ignored, the boy continued to cry. Iwaizumi looked at his partner, who was still stuck in the wall, and sighed. It had to be him who silenced him, since Oikawa had no intention of moving.

"Hey, little one..." he whispered, his voice trembling with tension. The boy continued with his thing. Iwaizumi thought about taking him in his arms and rocking him, but as he put his hands close he panicked. The baby was very small, and he was afraid to break him or hurt him. The baby stressed him, but Iwaizumi didn't want to harm a being as fragile as the infant. So, he lifted the trasportín and rocked it, clinging to the handle, and took the opportunity to caress one of his tiny hands with just one finger. "Come on, calm down..."

The little one calmed down, but he still let out some sobs, the hand wrapping Iwaziumi's finger and sucking it, leaving it drooling.

"I think he's hungry..." Iwaizumi observed. He looked at Oikawa, but he was still far, far away. He put the carrier on the floor and approached him. "There is a pharmacy nearby, they will tell us how to feed him."

Oikawa moved his lips as if saying his name, but not a sound came out. His eyes didn't look at him either. Iwaizumi scratched his forehead and the baby raised the volume of sobs when he saw that they weren't feeding him.

"I'll... buy him something," he said softly, waiting for Oikawa to listen. "Do you stay with him...?"

The brunet remained silent, Iwaizumi almost pulled his own hair out. He couldn't take much longer or the child would start crying again, and if that happened it would end up depleting the little serenity he had left. Slowly, he separated from his boyfriend by testing his reaction and, seeing that he practically didn't flinch, Iwaizumi left home. Oikawa slid down the wall until he sat on the floor. He couldn't look in front because there was the boy.

A damn baby.

The world, the destiny, even the aliens: anyone who planned this couldn't expect that from one day to another Oikawa would gladly accept that he has a son. He wasn't ready! He would never be! He liked to spend time with children when they were not his, the responsibility wasn't that much. He was just a college boy who had and wanted to continue building his life! His career, his life, his work, his dream... everything was hanging on a thin thread that took the form of an ugly little baby.

And all because a deranged girl had decided to appear at the party that nobody had invited her to (since she wasn't a university student) and had thrown herself into his arms as soon as he was drunk. If it were for him, he wouldn't have looked at her anytime. He had enough at high-school where she dedicated to follow him, to find out his phone numbers and to leave him strange notes everywhere.

And now he had a son with her, this couldn't be happening!

Then, he looked at the damned child. That hideous thing was writhing and complaining, asking for attention. What the hell did he want? Annoy him a little more?

Oikawa didn't even realize that he had begun to growl, nor when Iwaizumi arrived home. He only knew because the man had knelt beside him and put an arm around his shoulders. Oikawa bit his lip hard to keep from crying from the frustration he felt.

"Keep clam... Let's think and solve this," Iwaizumi whispered, although he didn't believe it.

Oikawa was going to answer him, but the baby began to cry again. He had already waited too much for food and now he claimed it impatiently. Oikawa grunted again and covered his ears with his hands.

"Stop him..."

Iwaizumi retired little by little, fearing that the other would eventually explode. Oikawa sank his head between his arms resting on his knees. Hajime  
approached the baby and took him to the kitchen.

"Well, now... What was your name?" Iwaizumi looked for the sheet. "Tobio... Well, Tobio, now you're going to be silent while I prepare this, do you mind?"

Little Tobio didn't shut up. Moreover, his cries became more annoying. Iwaizumi placed a hand on him and the boy calmed down a little when he held on to him. He smiled, the baby just wanted love. He didn't take his hand away at all the time he tried to prepare a bottle, although he had to start over at least three times. He almost shouted when he got it right.

"Very good! Now you're going to eat and you're going to stop crying" of course the baby didn't understand him at all, but it was inevitable to talk to him. Then, the matter was complicated. He didn't know how to take care of babies and although at the pharmacy he had been told how to hold a child, he became nervous. The practice was more difficult than the theory.

Iwaizumi inspired strongly. The kid was hungry and depended on him, so he couldn't go fooling around. He carried the child and carefully placed him on one arm. The baby, instead of bothering, stayed calm and looked at him carefully with his dark eyes. As far as Hajime knew, newborns didn't see very well, but he could hear him, and that was fine. It was hard for the baby to find the nipple of the bottle but as soon as he found it, he was very calm and ate at ease.

"Wow, you sure are hungry," said Iwa. The boy kicked a little, happy, and made a lovely noise. Apparently, the little boy liked to talk. "You are a good boy, aren't you?"

He gently stroked his thin black hair, and Tobio fell asleep in a second, very comfortable in the strong and secure arms of Iwaizumi.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They are just scared young parents

"Well, I must go now. Will you two be good alone?" Iwaizumi said, while buttoning his coat. Oikawa looked at him leaning against the door frame. For him, that he was going to do his work shift as a waiter meant staying hours and hours alone with that demon child. Also, being a weekend, the bar closed later.

It had been two days since the arrival of little Tobio, and Iwaizumi knew that his boyfriend was still bad. It wasn't necessary to be a genius to see that Oikawa was all the time grumpy, tired, and many times he had seen him disconnect from the world: especially when the child cried.

"You can rest now that the kid is sleeping, yes?" he said, finally. He gave him a quick goodbye kiss with which he thought Oikawa would be a little happy and left home.

Oikawa was left alone. He turned off the lights and went straight to bed, covering himself whole. Two damn days when there had been no way to sleep for more than an hour without the shitty boy crying. It was so annoying that Oikawa felt like throwing himself out the window. On top of it Iwaizumi listened to him, took care of him and spoke to him as if he were something adorable! He had not only turned his life upside down but now he robbed Iwa-chan. A creature of that kind was able to do it...

Why was that child still at home? Every time he wanted to kick him out, he found him in his partner's arms watching him get a fool's face when talking to the baby. Iwaizumi seemed very convinced of his role as a sentry, and that made Oikawa crazy.

As if that were not enough, the boy woke up and began to cry. Oikawa covered himself even more, closing his eyes tightly to try to ignore it. But it was impossible, his high tears pierced his ears and his frustration meter threatened to break.

"Shut up...!" he shouted, but everything got worse. Tobio got scared and cried even harder. Oikawa growled loudly and put the pillow over his head to muffle the deafening whining.

But the boy didn't shut up. Oikawa wouldn't get up for him, he should have already understood.

And he cried.

And cried.

And cried.

Oikawa totally lost track of time. What seemed like a whole year, were actually hours. Iwaizumi came home and met the two out of control. The baby was crying loudly and Oikawa had turned a ball under the blanket, growling to the scream.

"What the hell..." he muttered nervously, going to the baby to calm his crying. "What are you doing, Oikawa?"

Oikawa dug up from the blanket and sat up, frustrated.

"It's annoying and I want to sleep!"

"Take care of him and he'll shut up," he snapped. Then he took the boy who stopped crying in a few moments.

Oikawa stayed where he was, very stunned. He was about to break the table next to him, and Iwaizumi was going with the child somewhere else. Great! Iwaizumi returned after a while and, after leaving the child in the carrier (they didn't have a crib), Oikawa crossed his arms. Iwaizumi was about to give him a good scold, if Oikawa was frustrated, he was unnerved.

"You were supposed to be in charge."

Oikawa stood up to avoid having to look at him from below, also crossed his arms. If he was going to bother him, he would defend himself. Reasons were not lacking.

"I said it was annoying."

"It's your responsibility, fuck sake!" Iwaizumi bellowed. "I can't do everything myself, I have a limit and my work hours last longer than yours. You don't even do the favour, and you have more experience with babies than me. Do something, for God's sake!"

"Has anyone asked me if I want to take care of him!?" he exploded. "Have you asked me just once!?"

"I'm waiting for you to answer yourself!"

"I answer you, I don't want to take care of it! But you have been determined to be his babysitter when nobody has asked you for anything"

"Someone has to be responsible for the moment, he can't take care of himself."

"Well, someone else can take care of him! Why does it have to be you? Why do I have to be me?!"

"You're his father, idiot!" Iwaizumi approached dangerously. "Now you're going to shut up and listen to me carefully. One interruption and you swallow the entire mattress!" Oikawa widened his eyes, offended, but let him speak. "You, and only you, are responsible for that child. Right now he doesn't have anyone else, so you're going to have to make a decision right now. Either you take care of him or not keep it, but I will not allow an innocent child to suffer from this situation, have you understood me? So, do something, because if this continues as now I am leaving too! I don't plan on being with someone who is mistreating their son"

"I'm not…!" But his words were dying by themselves.

Oikawa felt like he was hit in the stomach, although no one had hit him. He sought the support of a chair to sit on, as he saw that he was falling and Iwaizumi didn't move to hold it. It was true that every day he hadn't touched the child, less hit him, but he had neglected him completely. It was as if he weren't there, and when he cried he provoked an intractable stress. It was true that he didn't want it, he didn't feel that instinct to want to take care of the baby as it happened to his partner. He didn't feel like rocking him, or talking to him, he didn't even consider him cute. 

Iwaizumi was right. So right. The boy had done nothing wrong, he had just been born. He was innocent, for Oikawa the only one responsible for all that was him for having drunk and not being able to stop the crazy fan in time.

He started to cry. He was abandoning a child already abandoned by his own mother. No child deserved to be homeless, even if it would break his life into shatters. Iwaizumi knelt in front of him and hugged him tightly, Oikawa cried leaning on his shoulder.

"I know that it's difficult," Iwaizumi said, in a calm voice. "Just think of him, okay? He needs you. He's very little..."

"I'll have to quit school," Oikawa sobbed, trying to cool his head to think clearly. He held on to the hug while Iwa rolled a strand of his hair. Iwaizumi knew that calmed him down a lot. "I need a steady job, not only in summer, and with classes I couldn't do it. But if I leave the uni, I would also leave the team..."

"It's not the only way to get there," Iwaizumi assured him. "You can find another way to enter"

"If I am on the university team now, it is for them to see me. Someone will... it is easier than entering from scratch. In addition, it is already difficult that with our relationship they will not say anything..., imagine if I have a baby to care for"

"There is nothing wrong with trying. You don't have to leave everything"

"I'll look at it..." Oikawa sat up and wiped his face with the back of his pyjama sleeves. "I'll find a way to combine the two things, I don't want to leave you with all the expense. He's my son, not yours..."

"He is, but you know... you know I'm here, huh? I'll be for both of you, I won't leave you alone. I'm not leaving"

Oikawa snuggled back into his arms, almost pulling him to the floor of the impulse. He no longer cried, and now the fear of losing him had been taken away. Without him, h would be nothing. Without his Iwa-chan, nothing would make sense. Iwaizumi stroked his back waiting for him to calm down completely. When they separated again, Oikawa looked much more relaxed.

"Come," said Iwaizumi, taking him by the wrist and lifting him. Oikawa was carried away, and they stood still before the carrier. The little boy was still awake, and was watching them closely. Iwaizumi took him in his arms and handed him to the brunet.

Oikawa accepted the baby and accommodated him little by little. He almost forgot to breathe. He knew how to hold a baby by his nephew, but Takeru hadn't been a small baby for a long time. The feeling that your arms were going to be jelly, or that the baby would cry when he saw him again whipped him as if he were fourteen years old again. Or worse, that it was a child who doesn't attend to the responsibility that required to support a new-born. Or your own son...

But Tobio didn't fall, but curled up in his arms, releasing a small coo. Oikawa rocked him a little, seeing how the boy was very calm. Then, he held him in such a way that his head was resting on his chest, remembering that his nephew liked to be like this. And it worked: he didn't cry or look restless, but closed his eyes and went to sleep.

"I'm sorry, little one..." Oikawa whispered, following the sway of his body to keep him calm. "I promise try... No, I promise to do it, period. I will do better..."  
Iwaizumi approached and gently stroked the baby's cheek. He replied with a noise, but luckily he didn't wake up. The two boys looked at each other and smiled. Iwaizumi hugged him by the waist and Tooru rested his head on his boyfriend's.

"Everything will be fine, right?" he whispered.

"Don't doubt it," Iwaizumi replied, eyes closed. Oikawa sighed in relief and watched his son sleep.

Now he seemed to be the most tender and adorable being in the world.

\-------------Time lapse-----------------

Iwaizumi sighed bored in the waiting room. One hand supported his head, while the other remained stroking Tobio's black hair. The boy, in his stroller, looked very upset. Despite his few months of life, he knew perfectly where he was and he didn't like that at all.

Today, it was vaccine day.

"Don't put that face on," he said, ruffling it. Tobio looked at him with his big blue eyes full of fear, and murmured a soft 'au'. "It won't hurt, it will be fast and you won't even notice it. It will be like... this" he touched his nose and the boy laughed.

"Tobio Oikawa," someone announced, and Tobio pouted again when he saw the doctor's white coat. And more when Iwaizumi got up. "Oh, hi, isn't his father coming today?"

"Yes... now he comes. He's parking the car" clarified Iwaizumi, a little brief. First because he didn't have to give him details of why he is here, he has often taken Tobio to the doctor alone. Second, because it wasn't the first time they left him in the background. For others, who mattered was the father of the child. The real father

"Very well, let's go. We will wait for him inside" said the doctor, oblivious to what his questions had done. "Hello, Tobio, how are you?"

Tobio turned to not look at him.

Once inside, Iwaizumi carried him in his arms and pulled him out of the stroller. Tobio held on to his neck so that no one dared to separate him from the man, since that would mean that the doctor had won. But his strength was no problem for Iwaizumi, so he was soon sitting on the stretcher. Iwa took his clothes off because apart from the vaccine, there was also a paediatric routine visit, which bothered the little one even more.

The doctor began the visit when Oikawa appeared.

"Knock, knock ~" Oikawa hummed, entering the office and closing the door afterwards. Tobio was nervous, since having them both was a safety sign but at the same time of fear, because neither was eager to help him.

"Well, we have a very healthy child here," said the doctor, in a gentle voice. Tobio complained and crawled a little, and Oikawa held him so he wouldn't pull himself off the stretcher. The boy wanted to climb his arms until he reached the neck, but it was still too early to go with Dad. "It's time for the vaccine."

Oikawa put him down again and as soon as he felt the needle, Tobio began to cry. It wasn't the first time they gave him a vaccine, they keep them up to date, but he always began to cry heavily to what his father responded with a whining. Tobio began to call him between sobs, saying "dad" with his little voice, and with that Tooru felt like making a major drama. He immediately held him and rocked him while the two cried.

"Come on, come on, it's over." Iwaizumi tried to calm him down, stroking the boy's back. "Oikawa, if you keep crying, you're going to make him more nervous."

"I can't help it, Iwa-chan, my poor baby..."

"Hey, Tobio, look," said Iwaizumi, pulling a rubber toy out of the stroller, one of those that if you squeeze makes noise. He handed him the toy and the boy squeezed it as hard as his little hand could, until the toy duck stopped making a sound. Tobio seemed satisfied, he no longer cried. "Better"

"Well, it's time to go," Oikawa announced, turning to the paediatrician. "I have parked in the blue zone, they will fine me if I pass the time limit."

"Sure," said the doctor sympathetically. "See you at the next appointment, at reception they will tell you the day."

"Very well, thanks! Tobio-chan, say goodbye ~" but Tobio didn't want anything to do with that man, and Oikawa didn't recriminate him.

Iwaizumi said goodbye last, before leaving the consultation. After knowing the day and time of the next visit they went to find the car to go home. Oikawa kept the child in his arms, preventing Tobio from wanting to play with his glasses, while Iwaizumi went to the side with the stroller. For him, the scene was usual and beautiful: seeing that his partner didn't take off from the child was so good considering the first days they had Tobio. But he knew that, from the outside, things changed a bit. Iwaizumi was still seen in the background, if he thought about it. In kindergarten, they talked more with Oikawa; with the paediatrician, the same. They only talked to him if Iwaizumi came without the other. Hajime was really bothered, because he had taken care of and would take care of the child as much as Oikawa.

But he wasn't the father, and that hurt.

On top of it, Oikawa liked to combine his clothes with his son's. An example is today, which both wore a red shirt.

Iwaizumi didn't like to ramble these things, because he always ended up thinking about more. He cared about Oikawa and Tobio, and not what the others said. But sometimes it was impossible. He was just as responsible as Oikawa in caring for the child, they shouldn't have him as the last in everything. He had the same right to be told that Tobio was doing well in day-care as being healthy and strong. He had contributed to that.

Upon arriving home, Oikawa left the child in the crib and stared closely at his boyfriend. Iwaizumi didn't even know, because he sat on the bed looking at the infinite. Tooru climbed into bed and crawled until he reached him. He leaned on his shoulder, staying just in the hollow of his neck, and whispered:

"Iwa-chan, if you think so much your brain will melt~" Iwaizumi growled, but at least he got his attention. "Tell me"

Just as Iwaizumi knew that behind a splendid smile from Oikawa there was a feeling of vulnerability, Oikawa could read in his eyes that Iwaizumi was insecure. Although Hajime tried not to get into the subject, Oikawa insisted.

"I... I was thinking," he paused, trying to find the right words. "What am I in all this?"

"What does this mean?"

"Well that. The three of us... what am I doing here?" Oikawa separated from him to look into his eyes, but had no reciprocity.

"You can't be thinking that, Iwa-chan, you take care of Tobio-chan, and..."

"Yeah, but I'm not his father," Iwaizumi cut him. Following Oikawa's words, there was no key noun or adjective to describe his role in this. He was always his caregiver or that he was important... Oikawa was his father, and there came the explanation. No more was needed. "What am I to Tobio?"

Recently, the boy had begun to say his first words, and Iwaizumi waited impatiently for him to call him. But he wasn't sure how he would do it, because "Dad" had already been left for Oikawa.

Oikawa muttered something and withdrew from the bed. He approached the crib and carried the child in his arms. Tobio cooed happily whispering a soft "dad".

"Come, Tobio-chan." he said, heading back to bed. "Iwa-chan is jealous because you don't call him Dad."

Tooru sat on the bed and put the boy sitting on his legs. He moved slowly to play with the boy, who smiled at him and raised an arm to reach him. Oikawa arched to give him an Eskimo kiss and Tobio took the opportunity to steal his glasses and throw them on the floor.

"Tobio-chan, no!" he scolded him. "That's mean! Iwa-chan, don't laugh!"

Iwaizumi laughed more, watching him scold the boy. Tobio waved his hand when Oikawa did it at the same time. Hajime thought that the little boy wanted to play with him, but when he saw that he was doing the same gesture as the older one, his smile diminished.

"Oikawa, behave, the kid is imitating you and my mental stability is in danger."

"Eh? Imitating?" Tooru focused his attention on the boy and stuck his tongue out. His son did the same and laughed. Everything was a game for him. "Ah, he is doing it! Iwa-chan, he's imitating me!"

"I'm damned," Iwaizumi said, while Oikawa waved his hand so that Tobio imitated him very happily.

"Ah, but you had to cheer up Iwa-chan!" he said suddenly, cutting the game. "Tobio-chan, your mission is to make him smile. Take him, Iwa-chan"

And the boy was passed to him. Iwaizumi rolled his eyes but he stayed with the kid. Oikawa bent down to look for his lost glasses while Iwaizumi played with the child's hands.

"Chan..." the boy muttered, staring at him. Iwaizumi ceased the movement. "Iwachan…"

"Hey, I can only say that!" Oikawa released.

"Silence," Iwaizumi said, hugging the boy. Tobio cooed happily to receive his attention.

Oikawa watched them for a while. Hajime slowly rocked the child, with his eyes closed, enjoying contact with the child. With that, Tooru hoped he understood that it wasn't necessary for Tobio to call him Dad or any of those derivatives. For the boy, he was his hero, someone to contemplate and follow. Someone who just with the touch of his arms could managed to reassure him so much that Tobio fell asleep in less than a second.

He took him back to the crib to keep sleeping, and returned to bed. He hugged Iwaizumi by the neck and sat on his legs. Stroking his neck, he looked into his eyes and Iwaizumi, this time, did correspond.

"You are everything on this, Iwa-chan," Oikawa assured him. "You take care of him, you educate him, you give him affection… Isn't it enough for you to know that for him you are also his father? Tobio-chan loves you"

"And I also love him..." Iwaizumi smiled. "He called me for the first time, and I like it that way. You will have to accept that there will be another who will tell me by that nickname. I would say I'm sorry, but I don't"

"My iwa-chans" are better, I can accept it" Oikawa smiled haughtily.

"In your dreams, his are sweet and pure."

"I'm sweet too!" he whined. Iwaizumi shut up him with a demanding kiss. "Mnmm, well, you're really happy now"

"Shut up..." he muttered, returning the strongest hug around his waist. Then he laid him on the bed.

Once weighed his insecurities, Iwaizumi was the same again. Now he knew that he provided security and joy. Oikawa, in turn, filled him with games and happiness. Combined, they made Tobio have the home he deserves and the two know that, if the little one is missing, nothing would be as before.


	3. Chapter 3

"Dad!" the five-year-old boy shouted, running towards the door. The dad bent down to receive him with a hug and lift him off the ground, leaving the little boy to hug his neck.

"How was your last day of preschool?" Oikawa said after giving him a kiss on the forehead.

"Good. We did this" Tobio showed him a bag, which contained a bound album of everything he had done during the course.

"Woah, the cover is so beautiful," he mentioned, knowing that the boy had done it. Tobio smiled proudly, and Oikawa turned to his teacher. "It seems like yesterday when kindergarten started."

"They grow fast, don't they? He will do great in elementary school, he is a good boy. Although sometimes his temper is stronger than him..."

"Oh? What have you done, naughty boy?" Oikawa said, tickling him without reprimanding him. Tobio just laughed. Tooru well knew that the boy could become a real earthquake, Iwaizumi can corroborate it when the kid and his boyfriend joined forces to make jokes and pranks to him.

"It's not bad, it's just that it's hard for him to open up to other children. He needs more time, so I think that in school he will have more opportunity to get along with his next classmates"

"Great" Oikawa lowered his son to the ground, and he remained clinging to his hand. "Well, it's time to go. Say goodbye, Tobio-chan~"

"Bye~"

"Goodbye, little one," said the teacher, stroking his hair. "Be a good boy and have fun at school."

"Yes!"

Oikawa said goodbye later and father and son headed for the exit. Tobio clung to his hand to jump over the two steps that were there and happily began to follow in the steps of the eldest. Tooru put on his sunglasses on and walked as the boy jumped from time to time. In the end, the two ended up jumping, playing at not stepping on the floor lines, and sang a somewhat off-key song. Little Tobio loved to play like this and more if Iwaizumi was with them, because between the two older ones they would pick him up from time to time and make him swing in the air. And he would laugh a lot.

They got home and Tobio was running around until he got tired (or until Oikawa sat him down at the table to keep him quiet for a while, to tell the truth). Oikawa stayed with him, working on his laptop and notebook while listening him telling the tale of the book before him, practicing reading aloud. He was correcting him as he typed. Tobio was quickly tired of the story and sat on his father's legs, wanting his dad to tell him about what he was doing. Since the oldest seemed much focused on it, he believed it was a good thing.

"Listen carefully, Tobio-chan," Oikawa said, chewing on the tip of a ballpoint pen. His son looked at him and Oikawa read aloud what he had written.

"It's very good, daddy," said the boy, although Oikawa knew that he couldn't trust his judgment because the boy had no idea what the article was about and only flattered him because he was his father and, for him, everything he did was good.

"Hey, don't you have your summer homework?"

Tobio denied very seriously, although Oikawa already knew that the boy had homework for the holidays. They never failed to give him extra work and he had also seen the notebooks in the bag that his son had brought along with the course album.

"Tomorrow you get down to it One page per day" the boy complained, naturally. Oikawa looked at the clock hanging on the wall. "It's too late! Pick up the book, let's go to dinner. And today... hehe hehe, today I cook!"

Never in his life had he felt so betrayed, seeing the child's terrified gaze.

"Don't put that face!" he said, with his hands on his hips. "I'm going to do great, and you'll tell Iwa-chan yourself that I do know how to cook. I'll even do better than him! And you're going to help me, right, honey? ~ "

"Yes!" Tobio exclaimed, convinced. Oikawa tied an apron and the boy brandished a wooden spoon like it was a sword. "Let’s go, Dad!" 

"That's my son!" Oikawa cheered, giving him kisses on the head. "Very well, let's get to work! This will do..."

Oikawa lit the kitchen fire and put a pan on top. Tobio doesn't remember very well how it went, but the next thing he knew was that his father had caused a strong and high flare. They both screamed, leaning back, and Tobio clung to his legs.

"W-well, I think its pizza day..." Oikawa muttered, his son nodded.

Food delivery saved dinner that night, and the kid forgot about his father's mess as a cook. Oikawa convinced himself not to bring up the subject again, as Iwaizumi would surely laugh at him after giving him a good sermon. After a long and relaxing bath, and already wearing pyjamas, Tobio was brushing his teeth while Oikawa tidied up the house a little.

"Tobio-chan, come!" he called from the bed. "The moon is out."

Oikawa sighed when he heard a noise coming from the bathroom, he would swear that Tobio had knocked his water cup down. The boy then ran out to him, and climbed onto the bed next to him. They both looked out the window to see the satellite in all its glory.

"Are there no stars today?"

"In the city it is difficult to see many..." Oikawa crossed his legs so that Tobio could sit between them and rest his head on his chest. "But there is one! Quick, make a wish, now the aliens will listen to you"

"Iwa-chan says I shouldn't listen to you with these things," the boy recited, playing smart.

"Iwa-chan likes a dinosaur monster that has rare powers, his opinion doesn't count"

Tobio laughed and snuggled into his arms. Oikawa stared at the sky, knowing that the boy had fallen asleep in three seconds.

The days when Iwaizumi was late home were long when he didn't have his son to play with. With the house silent, Oikawa felt nostalgic. If he thought about it he remembered that by then he would have finished university, and would be preparing and organizing his future. He wouldn't fool anyone if he said he missed that life: coming and going to college, going carefree with friends and classmates, coming home when he felt like it, and that his only concern was to pass subjects and improve in training volleyball. In his first year as a university student, that combination had brought him moments of stress and it was difficult for him on some occasions, obviously, but it was another world.

He often thought of everything he had left behind. That his most precious dream had been shattered years ago...

Oikawa hadn't managed to enter the national team, and it was due to matters beyond his ability as a player.

Although many times he managed to cover those feelings under a radiant smile, sometimes he needed a good hug. And alone in the room, while his son slept, he felt unprotected because there was no one to cover his back. He was young, a boy who should protect a smaller one but who needed that support equally. And he knew that Iwaizumi felt the same.

Tooru looked at the little kid sleeping in his arms. Seeing his son sleep, oblivious to problems and happy, had a calming effect. He lay down on the bed and stroked him gently. It was true, he had set aside many things to take care of the child, but... he knew that he loved him so much that he wouldn't leave him for anything in the world. Neither a tournament, nor a trophy, nor a night of partying would replace his smile, his gestures, his games, his innocence and his eyes bright with curiosity and happiness.

Tobio loved them unconditionally, and that filled the emptiness that the loss of his dream could leave him.

Iwaizumi arrived at dawn, Oikawa was still awake and turned his head to see him enter. Tobio continued to sleep peacefully while Hajime walked into the house, keeping an eye on not making too much noise.

"Welcome home," Oikawa whispered, to let him know he was awake. He raised an arm to touch his face to bend and kiss him.

"You aren't sleeping?" he replied in the same tone, while taking off his clothes. Oikawa shook his head.

"I want to tell you something" Iwaizumi nodded and Oikawa waited for him to get into bed. Iwa wrapped an arm around them and Oikawa sighed calmly. "I think the apartment is too small for us."

"Yes, actually I've thought about it, too." Iwaizumi commented. The apartment was small for three people, because there was no place for another bed and Tobio still had to sleep with them. "He can't sleep with us until he's twenty."

"We will have to move... and save more." Oikawa turned a little to look at him, trying not to wake the little sleeper. "I'm going to publish another article…, and I will accept the interview"

"You're serious?" Oikawa nodded. "You know how I feel about that..."

"That I'm selling my life," the brunet sighed. "Listen, I have it under control. With the first article I wrote, we did well and people have become quite interested in homophobia in sports. It's not like I'm taking advantage of the situation, Iwa-chan, but hopefully… hopefully I'll do something. And, meanwhile, they pay me with collaborations"

"Okay, okay, but you know what some “journalists” are like. They will take advantage of any situation to sell shit about you and earn money"

"The last thing I want is for this to affect you or Tobio-chan, that's why I only keep in contact with professionals. I don't want to have anything to do with trash" Oikawa waited for Iwaizumi to make a joke about it, but he didn't. He looked at him with concern. "Iwa-chan, trust me."

"I trust you, but not the others. They are like scavengers..."

"I know, and I'll be careful" with his free arm (since the other one was around his son), he caressed his partner's cheek. "We'll be fine, and we can move into a nice house, with separate rooms. You and I will have our room... Don't you miss sex in bed?"

"Shut up, you have the child by your side," Iwaizumi whispered, his voice deep. He sighed, relaxing. "I just want you to be careful."

"Don't worry, if someone goes too far I'll let you hit them~"

Iwaizumi laughed a little and watched as Oikawa fell asleep peacefully. Then he rested his head on his back and strengthened the hug that covered his boyfriend and the little boy, and after a while he fell asleep.

\--------------------time skip --------------------

"Tobio-chan..." Oikawa whispered. "Come here…"

The boy obeyed and approached the bed, he looked clearly scared and hugged his alien stuffed toy tightly.

"You must promise me that you will be strong," the older man continued, coughing. "Be strong and take care of Iwa-chan..."

"Yes, Dad..." Tobio murmured.

Oikawa held out a hand to him and he clung to it. "Daddy loves you so much..."

"Me too daddy…"

"Come..." Iwaizumi said, pulling them apart and pulling the boy off the bed. The boy struggled.

"No, Dad!"

"Tobio-chaaan, don't cry for me!"

"Enough, you two!" Iwaizumi scolded. "You guys are so dramatic, it's just a cold"

"Iwa-chan, boring," Oikawa muttered as Tobio hugged Iwaizumi to stop him from being angry.

"You could play something else," he scolded, covering him well with the sheet. "Also, you must rest. So, no games. And you, Tobio, you can't stay by his side all the time or you're going to get sick too"

"Yes, Iwa-chan~" the two said, with a difference in tone. Oikawa, with his cold, didn't utter the same little song he always did when he called him. Tobio sat down on the sofa with some toy and Iwaizumi brought him a snack. Afterward, he made orange juice for Oikawa.

"What a cold you caught in the middle of summer," said Iwaizumi, handing him the glass. Oikawa stood up and held him down trying not to spill the contents.

"Don't tell me..." he murmured taking a sip. “Damn... now we could be on the beach, swimming, playing... and look at me."

"We will go another day, now the first thing is for you to rest and get well" when he finished drinking, Iwaizumi took the glass from him and helped him lie down. Oikawa could do it himself, because he wasn't that sick, but he loved that his boyfriend took care of him.

Oikawa closed his eyes ready to sleep, Iwaizumi went with Tobio to play with him and keep him entertained. It was better for Hajime to keep an eye on him, because if the little boy came to play with his father, he could either catch the cold or bother him and not let him rest well.

But a cell phone started to ring enraged. Iwaizumi saw that this was a call for Oikawa, but he said that didn't want to be disturbed.

"Some Maeda is calling," he reported. Iwaizumi wanted him to rest, of course, but if he had the name added perhaps it was important.

Oikawa immediately stood up and reached for the device. Iwaizumi gave it to him and went back to the sofa, ear hooked.

"Yes, here I am!" Oikawa said, answering the call. "Ah, don't worry, it's just a mild cold... Ah, of course. Really!? That's great!" he shouted with joy and began to cough immediately. "Excuse me... I'm fine, yes. Thank you very much... Oh. Oh? Yes, okay, we'll talk later"

Oikawa screamed again when the call ended and he sneezed, but nothing could bring his joy down. Iwaizumi approached to find out what was this about, sat on the bed and Oikawa hugged his arm.

"My article has been published! And guess what else..." Iwaizumi looked at him expectantly. "A sports newspaper wants me to work for them as an editor!"

"That is fantastic!" Iwaizumi celebrated.

"I know right!? But there is a... drawback?" he said, and Iwaizumi stopped smiling. "The newsroom is in Miyagi, not Tokyo"

"Miyagi...?" Iwaizumi muttered, somewhat nostalgic. "But that means..."

"Yes... I would have to go there. Well, we would have. I don't want to go without you"

"But what about my job?"

"Oh come on, you're worth more than what your jerk of a boss tells you." Oikawa fell silent for a moment to make sure Tobio hadn't heard that, and then turned to Iwaizumi again. "In Miyagi they know you more, and they appreciate you"

"I want to do things on my merit, not because they know me."

"You could get a better job, you know? And anyway, we wanted to move. Miyagi is not as expensive as living in Tokyo, and I can call my sister to find us some nice apartment"

"And Tobio?"

"Tobio can start primary school there. Iwa-chan, if we don't move now, they will take away the best offers. What do you say?"

"I don't know... Going back to Miyagi is nostalgic, don't you think? We come from there, precisely"

"I know, but I think that's what makes it special. Also, it's time for me to have a stable job: it's not fair that you spend all day here and there, putting up with rude bosses and clients"

"Hey, you've also worked a lot. Just because one requires more physical effort doesn't mean that it is worth more than the other"

"Yes. That's why I will accept the position in the newsroom" Oikawa gave a dreamy smile. "Who knows, maybe I'll become the best sports journalist in the country~"

"Always dreaming big," Iwaizumi pointed out, smiling a little.

"You should do it too," he said, lying down. Then he hugged him around the waist and fell asleep. Iwaizumi covered him again with the sheet and took the mobile that had been left on the mattress.

"Hey, champ," he said as he sat down on the sofa, ruffling Tobio's hair. "How would you like it if we went to another city?"

"Where?" the boy asked, closing his eyes at the caress.

"Miyagi, is where your father and I lived before," Iwaizumi clarified as the other began to play with his hand.

"What would we do there?"

"Well, we would make our lives. You would go to a school there, we would have a new house with a room just for you." At the mention of a room for himself, Tobio looked at him closely. "Would you like it?"

Tobio winced slightly as he thought. Then he shrugged.

"Yes," he finished saying. "Can I have a big bed?"

"We'll see about that, little one."


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick update, because being in a quarantine makes me want to update more so you can be entertained for a bit

Tobio looked around with wide eyes, not missing a single detail. Sendai was still a city, but it was nowhere near comparable to the capital. In addition, it was a new environment so everything made him curious even though he had seen his whole life from houses and streets. There were fewer people, less traffic, and more trees planted on the street.

"Do you like the city?" they asked him, while he followed a stray cat with his gaze. The boy nodded eagerly.

"Tooru!" shouted a voice. In the distance, they saw a woman with dark hair and the same eyes as Oikawa approaching.

"My dear sister!" He exclaimed, separating from Iwaizumi and his son to melt into a hug with her. Tobio went after him to hug her too.

"Hello, little one," she said, lifting him up. Tobio laid his head on her shoulder, at ease in her arms. The boy laughed when he received all of kisses on the cheek. 

"How fast you grow... Wow, Hajime, you look great."

"You look good too."

Yumi looked at her brother approvingly, and Tooru smiled proudly.

"Well, it's time to see the house. Are you ready?" She said, and Tobio nodded. "Follow me. And I warn you that you will have to decide quickly, not because I am a family I can save it for eternity"

"We know that," said Oikawa. "We don't want to sink your business."

The group advanced a few more blocks and reached a three-story building, with two houses per floor. They went to the third floor second door and Yumi opened the door for them. He left the boy on the ground and he started running around the apartment.

The house consisted of two bedrooms, a bathroom, a living room attached to the dining room and a balcony. The kitchen had a door that led to an interior patio where the laundry was, and on one wall there was a square opening that showed the living room.

"Iwa-chan, it's very good! Do you like it?"

"Well, yes, it looks good and it's also very practical. I suppose that will be Tobio's room" he said that last thing, raising his voice. Immediately, footsteps were heard and Tobio entered the room, eager to discover his new room.

"Wow, how big!" he exclaimed. He giggled and threw himself onto the mattress on the bed. "Will we stay here?"

"Well..." Oikawa looked at Iwaizumi.

"It will cost to pay for everything," Hajime said.

"We'll be fine, as soon as they pay you the settlement. And I'm going to work the day after tomorrow, so we'll be fine. I like this house, and Tobio-chan too"

With that, at least, they could sigh in relief as they were worried if the boy wasn't adjusting well to the new house, or if he didn't like it at all. But, for the moment, Tobio was very excited.

Father and son looked at Iwaizumi, with puppy eyes.

"It's okay! Don't look at me like that... I like it too"

"Yes!" they both shouted. Oikawa reached out and Tobio jumped into his hand to complete the high five

"So, you keep it?" Yumi said.

"We kept it."

"Come with me to the agency, you have to fill out some papers"

The Oikawa siblings left home, leaving Iwaizumi and Tobio to finish settling in and seeing the apartment. Tobio bounced on the bed.

"You like it, huh?" Iwaizumi said, smiling.

"Yes!" Tobio jumped into his arms. Iwaizumi walked with him in his arms throughout the house until he was still on the balcony.

"See that building over there? Behind the tallest. That will be your school" Tobio let out a soft "oooh", and both stared at the city cut out by the sunset.

After a while, Oikawa arrived after leaving the car in the parking lot and they began to sort the things they had brought from home. Most would come tomorrow with a moving truck, but the basics had been brought. With that, they made dinner and made the beds. After dinner, bathing and wearing pyjamas, it was time to go to sleep.

"Will you be okay all alone?" Oikawa said, tucking his son.

"Yes, Dad, I'm big boy now," replied the boy, with a slight pout. Oikawa laughed.

"We will decorate the room to your liking soon," he assured him, since the walls were still white and there was nothing decorative that the boy might like. "The colours you want, and toys… Will you help us paint?"

"Yes. Will I have those bright planets?" Ever since Oikawa told him to put stickers of glowing planets in the dark, the idea hadn't gone out of his mind.

"They're in the box, I'll put them on for you tomorrow. Now, sleep. Here, don't let Mister Moon fall" then he handed him the alien's plush toy and Tobio hugged him tightly. "Good night ~"

"Good night, daddy." Tobio sat up a little and kissed his cheek. Then he lay down again and, holding onto the toy, fell asleep in a second.

Oikawa closed the door and went to his own room. He lay down on the bed and Iwaizumi appeared, leaning against the door frame.

"Aah, look, Iwa-chan… Our dream room. Spacious, and a big and comfortable bed... Just for the two of us"

Immediately they both looked into each other's eyes. Iwaizumi's glowed, and Oikawa smiled provocatively. Oikawa motioned for him to come closer, and the other boy stood on top of him.

"Let's celebrate this properly," Iwaizumi said, and they shared a long kiss.

They were lucky that Tobio slept like a log.

\--------------------time skip-------------------- 

"It's your turn, little one."

Tobio took a deep breath.

"My name is Tobio Oikawa, my birthday is on December 22nd, and I used to live in Tokyo before," he recited in front of his class. His cheeks were slightly red because thousands of eyes were watching him. He clung to the edge of his school uniform sweater and sighed.

"Very well, Tobio," said the teacher. "Tell us a bit more. What do your mom and dad work on?"

"I don't have a mom," he said, without sadness. He smiled, though shyly, with pride. "I have Iwa-chan!"

"Iwa-chan...?"

"Yes, with my Dad"

"Oh..." Then the teacher seemed to remember something. "Ah, you mean Iwaizumi? The new PE teacher?"

"Yes, him!"

"Okay, go sit there." And then the teacher called another boy to move in front of the class.

The class consisted of five groups of grouped tables, like islands, and Tobio was the last to fill one of those. He looked somewhat shy at his companions, especially the one next to him. Talking to other kids was a bit difficult for him, but he was willing to give it a try.

"Hello..." he murmured. The blond boy with glasses turned a little.

"Well... I know who will be the teacher's favourite..." the boy said.

"Is not true. Iwa-chan will have no favourites"

"If you say so…"

"What's your problem?" The boy didn0t answer him, he just adjusted his glasses. "What's your name, boy?"

"Tsu... Kei." - the boy stuttered. He changed from last name to first name quickly because he didn't want it to show that he still had trouble saying Tsukishima. "My name is Kei, boy."

"Okay, Kei, now shut up."

"You shut up"

"Shut up, both of you," a dark-haired boy released, sitting in front of the two of them.

The last thing Tobio and Kei remember was that they looked at him wrong, and in a second they were both sitting in the thinking corner. They were punished for misconduct. Tobio was showing a pronounced pout of annoyance and Kei was doing his best not to look at him. But they were sitting opposite each other, and it was impossible not to see each other.

"You did well enough, huh" Kei snapped at last.

"You are here too."

"You threw the pencil case over his head!"

"And you insulted him and made him cry!"

"Children, silence. You are punished, and you cannot speak until you apologize to your partner" the teacher scolded them.

None of them lowered the bar of pride, and they were punished until they left class.

Iwaizumi had the same schedule as the students, so he could pick him up at the end of class. Tobio ran towards him when he saw him.

"How did the first day go?"

"Good, although there are dumb kids."

"Dumb kids…?"

"Yes. A crying child and a dumb glasses kid" assured Tobio, who still looked somewhat annoyed.

"If you create enemies the first day of elementary school, I don't want to imagine how you will be at your graduation..." Tobio took his hand and the two went home.

The boy wasn't the only one experiencing new things in his life. Although Oikawa had started working on the newsroom a month ago, it was the first time that he had been given an important task. But he still didn't know.

Tooru was ordering some files in the main room when one of his superiors entered somewhat disturbed. According to what he could hear, the person in charge of the main interview of the review for that week had become very ill, and he didn't come to notify in time. Now they had the interviewee waiting, and he had no one to ask him the questions.

"We have to replace him... right now! Is anyone free to do the interview!?" No one seemed to listen to his screams. The editor-in-chief scanned the room and noticed Oikawa. "Tell me you're free..."

"Well…"

"He's a volleyball player, you like that, right?"

"Yes, but I haven't prepared it, nor do I know the questions"

"You have them written in this notebook, you just have to read them" The boss left a wasted notebook in his hands. "Take a minute to read them well, as the guest adjusts."

"I guess I can't turn it down now." The man patted his arm and disappeared. Oikawa read the questions as he made his way to an adjacent room. He sat down and prepared a tape recorder. He kept reading the questions to prepare them well.

It was a guest who had been admitted to the Japanese team, and was a young promise despite his young age. He was a rookie, but he was better than many of his veterans. Oikawa was very interested, he seemed an admirable person...

… Which turned out to be Ushijima Wakatoshi.

Oikawa's face was worth seeing, full of frustration. He almost threw the notebook at the guy's stoic face, but he was a professional... He had to attend to reality, ask the questions and then say goodbye to him. There was no need to tell him more...

The interview was somewhat concise, but well conducted. Oikawa tried not to bother with Ushijima's short answers, and had to come up with a few more questions to fill out the page a bit. It was an exclusive interview, and the newspaper depended on it. He couldn't screw it up.

"Well, Ushijima..." he said, somewhat dry. "To finish, do you want to add something to the interview?"

"Yes," said the boy, looking serious. "I know you were rejected without doing the first test. This could have been avoided if they had seen your game before"

Oikawa raised an eyebrow.

"So you should have come to Shiratorizawa"


	5. Chapter 5

Oikawa looked attentively at his mobile phone while lying on the bed of a hotel room. Iwaizumi had sent him a photograph and he had been looking at it for hours. In it, Tobio and his nephew Takeru appeared playing volleyball. The older boy was teaching him something, and the younger boy gazed at him enraptured. Oikawa recalled the years when he taught his nephew how to play, and now it was his turn to do it with his little cousin.

But as cute as the image was, there was something Oikawa didn't smile about.

It wasn't just because he wasn't there with them to share the moment. Oikawa had been assigned as the chronicler of a tournament, and would be away for a few weeks until Christmas, implicating his absence on his son's birthday.

But no, that wasn't the only problem. There was something else that even he couldn't understand at the moment.

'He likes to be the setter' He remembered Iwaizumi's written words.

'Like you'

Oikawa came out of his reverie when an incoming call rang out.

"Yahoo ~" he crooned.

"Hello," Iwaizumi's voice answered as Tobio was heard shouting 'Dad!' "How's it going?"

"Great, I've met a lot of people, and I'm sure I'm the best chronicler of them."

"Who was going to say that an interview with Ushijima would make you known?"

"Hey, hey, the interview was a success thanks to me, my questions, and my charisma. Ushiwaka's bland answers did nothing to get me recognized"

"I'm glad you're doing well," said Iwaizumi. Oikawa could feel his smile full of pride.

"Dad, when are you coming home?"

His son's voice sounded.

"Soon. On the 24th, I'll arrive. And I will bring you a gift, what do you think?"

"Cool!" he shouted happily.

"Have you already had dinner?"

"Yes, and tomorrow Iwa-chan will make curry because it's my birthday"

"How delicious ~ Now, be a good boy and go to sleep early."

"Yes!" Oikawa could hear the boy running away.

"He misses you," Iwaizumi told him.

"My little boy ~ I know you miss me too, Iwa-chan."

"You wish, I'm very calm here" Although they couldn't see each other, they both smiled at the same time. "You've seen the picture"

Iwaizumi didn't ask, because he had noticed with the blue check message.

"I've seen it, yes."

"He liked it very much, and he's looking forward to your nephew coming home to teach him more. He is a good teacher"

"Sure, he learned from the best~"

"You could teach him something. I am sure Tobio would like it very much"

"Mnm..., yes, maybe..." The tone of voice didn't go unnoticed by Iwaizumi, but he didn't arrive in time to say something about it. "Well, I have to go to sleep. I have the alarm clock set on early"

"Of course. Rest well and tell me how it went"

Iwaizumi was thoughtful. He thought the idea of Oikawa teaching him how to play with the boy would be good, because now that Tobio went to school and Oikawa worked in the newsroom, they spent less time together. It would be a good way to hang out together, and he was sure the little boy would love to be able to play and learn with his father. But Oikawa's response to the idea left him worried.

He wasn't going to talk about it on the phone, because Oikawa would take advantage of not having to meet face to face. Iwaizumi was too good at reading it, so he kept it for when the brunet was home.

"Iwa-chan, come!" He heard the boy calling him, and Iwa came. Tobio was on the bed, wearing his pyjamas. He had put it on himself, he said proudly, but Iwaizumi noticed that he had put the shirt inside out. Once well placed, the boy continued talking. "Tomorrow I want to bring breakfast to class."

"What?"

"Everybody does! The birthday boy brings breakfast to class, and at recess everyone eats it together. I want to do that!"

"You could have said it before, man. I would have bought something..."

"We can buy tomorrow. Please..." Tobio looked at him with sad eyes. Iwaizumi sighed, knowing that the little one was having trouble making friends. He figured that breakfast would serve as an excuse for a classmate to approach him.

"Okay, we'll buy something tomorrow"

"All right!" Tobio applauded.

"Now to sleep, little monster" Iwaizumi ruffled him and Tobio hugged him affectionately. Then he fell asleep in a second.

In the morning, Iwaizumi noticed that Tobio was more agitated than normal. He supposed it was understandable, since it was his birthday. Having bought some things in the last minute, they went to school.

To the boy's bad luck, the other classmates ignored him. He hadn't been very lucky in terms of sociability, and the boy tried not to isolate himself but there was no way. Tobio sometimes didn't tolerate frustration very well and threw objects at others, so many of his colleagues didn't want to play with him.

"Uh~, nobody wants to eat, how pathetic," Tsukishima scoffed.

"Shut up, Kei..." Tobio growled, sitting next to the table where the food and some juices were exposed. He turned not to look at him, because the poor boy was saddened that he had no one to share breakfast with.

"I do want one!" A voice said, unknown to the little one. Tobio turned around, surprised.

It wasn't Kei, obviously. It was a boy his age, with orange hair and big eyes. He looked at him expectantly, with a wide smile. Tobio rose, eyes wide. He wa excited that someone spoke to him well and wanted to eat, but he was nervous at the redhead's smile. He picked up a few croissants and started stacking them in the boy's arms.

"Stop, stop!" asked the poor boy, just when Tobio was almost starting to stack the juice bottles on his head. Tobio stopped immediately, kept looking at him as if he was a beautiful appearance. The redhead smiled at him again and left the food in his arms on the table. Then he sat down next to him to eat with him. "Happy Birthday!"

"Who are you?" Released immediately.

"Meanie, we go to the same class! I am at the sunflower table. I’m Shouyou Hinata!"

Tobio was confused. He sat at the daisies table, and the other tables were foreign to him. As if they were distant, inaccessible continents. So he didn't remember, because he'd only tried to strike up a conversation with the neighbours at his own table.

"Hello..." Tobio murmured.

"It taste good," Hinata added with his mouth full.

"Y-you can eat twenty if you want," he said, trying not to bury him again with food. Now, he was shy and a slight shade of red was taking over his cheeks.

"Great!" Hinata smiled again.

"On your birthday I will also eat what you bring…"

"Ummm..." The redhead pouted, thinking of something. "My birthday is in June. But we no longer have classes..." Although I go to a summer camp! We play volleyball... Do you like volleyball?"

"Yes!" Tobio shouted.

"COME!"

"I WILL DO IT!"

The two children smiled, very excited. At school, the other boys preferred to play soccer and had taken over the playground. They couldn't find many who wanted to play volleyball, so having someone they like it was exceptional.

"Come on, let's bother Tsukishima," said Hinata, getting up. Tobio did too and they both held hands. They began to run and chase the blond boy around the school yard while he was shouting things to them to leave him alone, until they managed to get Tsukishima to eat a croissant that Tobio had brought.

When recess was over and they returned to class, they had to separate to go to their respective tables. For them, it was like going to different countries. When they saw each other again after leaving school, it seemed like a reunion of some old friends. They held hands as they waited for their respective relatives to come pick them up.

Tobio was euphoric, although his little mind didn't know how to manage so much emotion fully. He moved restlessly, clinging to his new friend's hand, and his eyes were bright.

He had made a friend...

It was the best day of his life!

"Tobio," Professor Iwaizumi called. Tobio ran towards him, taking Hinata away.

"I made a friend!" He shouted, and dragged the redhead so that Iwaizumi could see him well. "Hinata!"

"Hi, I'm Hinata!" said the redhead, not bothered by the drag.

"Nice to meet you, little boy," Iwaizumi smiled at the scene. Although he knew who the boy was because he was a teacher, he played along because Tobio looked so happy to introduce his friend.

"He says he's going to summer camp, and they play volleyball" Hinata accompanied Tobio's words with a nod. "I will go too"

It wasn't a question.

"We'll talk about it when your father arrives."

"Yes!"

"Hey hey HEY," someone yelled. "Little Orange!"

"Uncle Koutaaaa!" Hinata yelled with the same enthusiastic tone, and ran to a white-and-black-haired man. He jumped, and they five high with both hands wide open.

"It’s... Bokuto Koutaro?" Iwaizumi muttered incredulously.

"Who?" Tobio asked.

"He is one of the best players in the Japanese Volley League"

"Wow!" Tobio ran to Hinata and his uncle "You are famous!"

Bokuto laughed.

"I guess I am! Who are you, little blueberry?"

"Tobi!" Hinata exclaimed, introducing him.

"It's Tobio," Tobio corrected him, but the redhead ignored him. He just hugged him, and that was enough to stop his complaints about it. Afterward, he turned his attention back to Bokuto. "Iwa-chan says you play volleyball! I want to play too!"

"Hoooot," Bokuto cooed, sounding like an owl. "What position do you want to play?"

"Setter!"

"Just like my Akaashi!" Bokuto exclaimed.

"Um..." Iwaizumi said, somewhat overwhelmed, approaching. "I didn't know Hinata had Bokuto Koutaro as a relative..."

"Oh, this Little Orange is my Akaashi's nephew! We are taking care of him for now" he fluttered Hinata's hair and the boy smirked. "Well, it's time to go or Akaashi is going to worry! He's such a good father, I don't know why he doesn't want to have children of his own..."

"Uncle Koutaaaa," Hinata crooned.

"Yes, little one, I know, it's time to go! Goodbye!"

"Bye, Tobi!"

"Bye Hinata!" he was stunned watching his friend leave. Iwaizumi waited a few minutes for the boy to come out of his happy world.

"Are we going home?" He said, Tobio looked at him and nodded. Then, Iwaizumi noticed the food that he had brought in the morning. "It's the same as in the morning…"

He looked worriedly at the boy, which meant that no one had approached him. In his birthday…

"Hinata ate some!" he replied, and it seemed that for Tobio there was no one other than the redhead. There was no need for the other classmates to come up and speak to him if Hinata already did.

"Well, you two have become very friends"

"He is my best friend!" Tobio assured, Iwaizumi smiled.

"Well, but... Something will have to be done with all that food. I have an idea" he said later, arms crossed and thoughtful. Tobio looked at him. "We can't eat all of this, and it will expire. In order not to waste all this, we will take all of it to a soup kitchen"

"What's that, what's that?" Tobio asked, curious, hanging on his arm.

"People who don't have enough money to eat every day goes there. We will take it there, they will know how to make the most profit of it and we will have done a good deed. Do you agree?"

"It's okay"

"Let's go to the car," Iwaizumi said, carrying things. Tobio held on to the fabric of his pants, because Hajime had his hands full. Iwa left the things in the trunk of the car and sat the little boy in his seat, fastening his seat belt. Then he got in the wheel and drove to the aforementioned soup kitchen. Tobio looked out the window in amazement. "We have arrived"

Iwaizumi and Tobio entered this establishment, run by some Yamaguchi family. The managers were happy to receive food, especially thanking for the upcoming dates. Christmas was a difficult time for those who frequented the dining room, and were entitled to have their special dinner. While Mrs Yamaguchi was talking to Iwaizumi, Tobio observed the place.

Then he noticed a boy who was playing alone in the backyard. He was small, with dark brown hair, his face full of freckles. Tobio became shy, as he always did when he saw another child. He wanted to play with him, but didn't know how to talk to him. So, he grabbed onto Iwaizumi's leg, hiding.

The two adults soon ended the conversation, and said goodbye to each other. Tobio got to hear the woman call the boy as Tadashi. He and Iwaizumi returned home, while the little one thought about the boy.

He was a social disaster, which was clear. Hopefully he had spoken to Hinata, but because the redhead was the first to come. His best friend seemed not to be afraid to talk to someone, it was impressive... So he thought that maybe he would help him to start a conversation with the freckled boy named Tadashi.  
Then he became sad because, when the Christmas holidays started, he wouldn't see Hinata until he got back to school.

His concern over the lack of his friend improved as soon as he found himself at the train station, awaiting the arrival of his father.

Oikawa pushed through the crowd, he wasn't the only one who came home for Christmas. With him, there were couples, families, children who cried glad to see their family. Oikawa quickened his pace, since he wanted to join his.

"Dad!" He smiled when he heard his son's voice. Oikawa dropped the suitcase, it falling on the floor with a bang, to bend down and receive his son with a big hug.

"My boy," he said, snuggling him up. Seeing him run towards him with such joy was something he would never forget. Oikawa got up to receive Iwaizumi's hug, it was longer, while Tobio, who didn't want to be less, hugged them by the legs. The two adults kissed, they didn't mind being in public. At least for now.

\------------------- Time skip -------------------

"Very good! You are ready, little alien" Oikawa crooned, very proud.

Tobio shook his head so that his spring-loaded antennae moved to his beat. He smiled at his father, who was dressed just like him. The two had disguised themselves as aliens.

"Iwa-chan doesn't dress up like us?" The boy said, seeing that the aforementioned had only put on a smooth black cape.

"Iwa-chan is a bitter man," said Alien Dad, sticking his tongue out at Iwaizumi.

Iwaizumi just sighed.

"Good good good. It is time to go out, or the party will continue without us" Oikawa said, lifting his little alien in his arms.

"Yes!" Tobio cheered.

As it was a carnival day, people would go out on the streets disguised as anything. People allowed themselves to be childish for a day, including Oikawa, who had taken his role as an alien seriously. Tobio followed suit because it was fun, especially when he saw that the main victim of the "Earth Expedition" was Iwaizumi.

As the accumulation of people became more chaotic, Tobio became nervous. Oikawa carried him on his shoulders so that the little one didn't get overwhelmed and, most importantly, so that he didn't get lost in the crowd. Tobio was immediately happy, because his father was so tall that he could see everything.

"Maybe we should go to dinner now," said Iwaizumi. "Later there will be a lot of people, and it will be a bit overwhelming."

"It's true, luckily we booked a table," added Oikawa. Then he froze and touched his shoulders. "Iwa-chan, Tobio isn't here!"

"What!?" Indeed, Oikawa's shoulders were unoccupied. "How did you lose the child if he was on top of you?!"

"I don't know, he was on top of me and now not!" Oikawa whimpered. "Iwa-chan, I'm a bad father!"

"Shut up, and let's find him! With so many people, it will be difficult to find..." He fell silent immediately because Oikawa became hysterical.

Oikawa screamed in fright when he felt a tug on his hair. He and Iwaizumi looked up and found their son climbing a tree, above their heads. Tobio was laughing.

"Tobio!" The two yelled.

"Look how tall I am!" said the boy, proud.

"It almost got a heart attack..." Oikawa scolded, pulling him down.

"You have worried us, you must tell us where you are," Iwaizumi said.

"Okay..." said the boy, although he was not disturbed by the concern of the two boys. "Hinata!"

"Tobi!" was heard in response.

Tobio kicked a little and started running as soon as he hit the ground. Oikawa and Iwaizumi followed him. Hinata was running too, disguised as a lion, and the two hugged each other screaming.

They had a habit of screaming every time they saw each other.

"Little Orange, wait!" Bokuto exclaimed.

"Shouyou, I told you not to separate from us," said the dark-haired man next to him. He carried a little girl on his chest in a baby backpack.

"Uncle Keiji, its Tobi! Tobi!" Hinata exclaimed, jumping up and down, as if that was the answer to all the problems.

"Oh, well, then you are the Tobi that he doesn't stop talking," added the adult, looking at Tobio. "Nice to meet you at last."

Tobio became nervous when the older man stroked his hair a little in greeting. It wasn't just his poor social skills, but the older black-haired man; his eyes, his white skin, his lips slightly curved in a shy smile, he was...

"So cute!" He released, excited. And so Tobio had his first crush.

"HEY!" Bokuto exploded.

"He's just a kid," Keiji said, not bothering to explain further.

"But Akaaaashi!"

"Look, Tobi," said Hinata, oblivious to his uncle's tantrum. "She is my sister Natsu. Natsu, say hi!"

The baby girl kicked and cooed happily to hear her older brother's voice.

"Oh, I know you," said Bokuto, calmer, when he saw Oikawa. "I have seen you before…"

"I'm a journalist," said Oikawa, proud that they had recognized him.

"Oh sure!"

"Uncle Keiji, I'm hungry," Hinata said suddenly, looking at the aforementioned.

"Me too, Dad!" Tobio added. And the two children began to repeat over and over that they were hungry. Natsu gave a little cry to add to them.

"Calm down, calm down," Akaashi said.

"We have a table booked, maybe they'll let us add chairs," Iwaizumi said, knowing that it would be impossible to separate the children.

"Yes!" exclaimed the children. Bokuto and Akaashi agreed, so the group headed towards the restaurant.

The conversation was quite entertaining among the adults, as the children spoke loudly from the excitement of seeing each other for so long outside of school. In that, Bokuto was also added, which altered them even more. As soon as they had dinner, the children went to a play area of the restaurant, being followed by Bokuto, who although he remained the responsible adult in the eyes of others, Akaashi knew that he accompanied them because he also wanted to play.

Natsu looked at them from afar, she was too small to go with them. Luckily, the adults who stayed with her pampered her from time to time to make her laugh.

"Bokuto is on a team in Tokyo, isn't he?" Oikawa said, getting to the point. "Isn't Miyagi too far away?"

"A free season was requested, because we have come to take care of Shouyou and Natsu. His parents... well, they had an accident. And as long as my sister is not released from the hospital, the children have no one but us"

"Oh, I'm so sorry"

"How are the children doing?" Said Iwaizumi, who already knew in advance about the situation of the Hinatas, being his teacher.

"Well... you know, we can't tell them many details but we can't do anything else. Children immediately realize what is happening at home"

"That's true"

"Uncle Keiji!" Hinata yelled. "Can Tobi stay over at home?"

"Yes, Akaashi!" Bokuto added. He carried the two children on his shoulders.

"Today?" Akaashi said. "These things must be planned in advance, Shouyou."

"I-I..." Tobio muttered, very flushed. "I promise to be good…"

"It's not that, honey, but..."

"Please, pleaaaase!" Hinata asked. Akaashi looked at Oikawa and Iwaizumi for an answer.

"Well, if they want it that much..." Oikawa said. Tooru loved Tobio, but for once he and Iwa-chan could be alone, he'll took advantage.

The three children, and that includes Bokuto, who knelt to be at the same height as Tobio and Shouyou, began to make eyes at Akaashi. Keiji looked at them one by one (Tobio looked down at the ground), then gave a long sigh.

Iwaizumi felt sorry for him.

"Okay..." he finished saying, and the three cheered very happily.

"We'll stop by home first, so Tobio can collect his things and go," Iwaizumi said, while Hinata and Tobio jumped with both hands together.

So Tobio was excited about his backpack full of his things to spend the night away from home. He had already removed his costume and was saying goodbye to his family. Bokuto and Akaashi waited on the street, Hinata was still jumping ecstatically. As Tobio stepped out of the portal, Hinata rushed to take his hand and walk alongside him.

"All right, let's go home!" Bokuto exclaimed, who was also happy to have more children at home.

"Behave yourself, Tobio-chan!" Oikawa shouted, from the balcony. Tobio looked up and waved goodbye.

Then the group began to walk.

"And this is the living room!" Hinata said, while doing Tobio a house tour. The black-haired man was excited because his friend was proud to present his house. And he liked it. "Come on, I'll introduce you to Kenma."

Kenma was a small tricolour cat that was stretched out on the sofa, curled into a ball. Hinata came over to pet him and the kitty purred a little but didn't move from where it was. Tobio approached, his eyes bright, because he liked animals.

But animals don't like him back.

The little feline got up and left before the boy could touch him.

"Kenma is actually a girl, because tricolour cats are girls, not boys," said Hinata, the expert.

"Ooooh~" Tobio blurted out, at the wisdom of his friend.

"Hey~" Bokuto crooned, sitting down on the couch. "Do you want to see a movie?"

"Yes!" Hinata exclaimed throwing himself on top of his uncle. Tobio nodded vigorously.

As Bokuto fought over the remote control, the boys stepped out onto the balcony upon hearing meows. Kenma gave a small meow to a huge black cat leaning on the balcony railing.

"Is he his friend?" Tobio said, amazed at the conversation between the two animals. But his enthusiasm ended when he saw the neighbour, who was looking for the black cat.

"Kuroo, get down from there, you're going to fall," a blond boy ordered.

"Tsukishima!" He yelled annoyed.

"The two idiots!" Kei returned it.

"Um... yeah, he's my neighbour," Hinata mused, as if he was ashamed to live there.

The three children looked at each other challengingly. They were almost starting to throw things from balcony to balcony, but Akaashi entered the scene to stop the potential disaster.

"Children, stay out of the balcony," he ordered, pulling them out of there. Akaashi was sure that one of them would be able to jump to the other neighbouring balcony to fight, and that would be dangerous.

Tsukishima only rebuked them for how pathetic they looked as Akaashi dragged them off the balcony. Tobio and Hinata laughed when they heard his mother scolding him to enter the house.

Afterward, they forgot about the neighbourhood affair and sat with Bokuto on the couch to watch the movie.

"Good night, Natsu," Hinata crooned, kissing her sister's cheek. The little girl smiled at him in Akaashi's arms. "Tobi, wish her a good night too."

"Goodnight!" Tobi said, imitating the gesture of his friend and Akaashi took Natsu.

The children hugged and snuggled together, like little birds in a nest. Bokuto, who found it so tender, hugged them both and kept them on his lap. Akaashi sat next to him after leaving Natsu in the crib, and also snuggled under Bokuto's "wing".


	6. Chapter 6

Tobio couldn't be quiet for a second. During the night before, he also didn't sleep from how excited he was. Today he was going to summer camp with Hinata, and he couldn't be more excited. So, very early, Tobio woke up his father screaming in his ear. Oikawa scolded him, after almost having a heart attack, and heard Iwaizumi giggle under his breath. It was Karma, he told him later, because Oikawa had also woken him up like that sometimes when they were little and it was summer vacation.

"We have it all…?" Oikawa said, with a pen in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. He made a mark on a sheet of notebook, where he had listed in a list everything the child needed for the trip. "Yes! Are you ready?"

He realized at once that the question was somewhat unnecessary, because the boy was jumping eagerly to get out of the house. Oikawa put the backpack on his back, which was larger than the boy himself. The brunet preferred to hold him so that he wouldn't fall back.

"Ah, look, Akaashi is already here!" He said, when the doorbell rang. They had arranged for Akaashi to take them to the bus station, where they would meet the camp group and go with a bus.

Tobio swayed and blushed a lot, and Oikawa, who knew what that was about, wanted to annoy him.

"Wow~ There's your crush on the door, Tobio-chan~" Tobio became more nervous. Iwaizumi opened the door.

"Good morning," Akaashi was heard to say, followed by a reply in a childish voice.

"Tobi!" Hinata hummed, as the sun was already active in the early hours of the day.

"Hi!" Tobio exclaimed, seeing him. Then, he lowered his head and played in his blue jersey. "G-good morning, Akaashi-san..."

"Good morning to you too, Tobio," Akaashi replied, with a small bow, and Tobio hid behind his father more blushed than before.

"Tobio-chan, don't hide! ~" Oikawa was annoying him. "Akaashi will not like it ~"

"Oikawa, leave him alone" Iwaizumi said at the end.

"You have no sense of humour, Iwa-chan," the brunet complained, then sighed. "Well, I guess it's time for you to leave now, or they'll leave without you."

Oikawa, then, stopped holding Tobio by the backpack so that the boy could leave, but the little boy wasn't prepared and fell on his back. Iwaizumi picked him up again, Hinata laughed.

"Tobi fell!"

"Don't laugh, you dumbass!" Tobio blurted out, embarrassed.

"I'm sure he learned this from you," Oikawa snapped at Iwaizumi.

"You're good?" Akaashi asked, and Tobio seemed to be in heaven. He pushed off his shirt and stiffened, then nodded. "Then let’s go. Until next Thursday"

"Yes, remember I'll pick them up myself," Oikawa said. "Behave well, Tobio-chan ~ don’t cry for me ~"

"He’s not going to cry, he's going to have a great time, will you?" Iwaizumi said, and Tobio nodded very convinced. "Bye little one."

"Goodbye!" Tobio said goodbye and he and Hinata ran down the hall, screaming and laughing.

"Goodbye," Akaashi said goodbye before going after them, telling them to lower their voices, since it was early and there would be neighbours still sleeping.

Akaashi sat them in the back seats of the car and fastened their seat belts. Then they drove to the station, where a group of children and monitors were waiting for them. Akaashi greeted the adults and teens who were volunteering, and waited for the children to get on the bus to leave. He waved goodbye to them and they went towards the mountains. Akaashi, on the other hand, went to work because he still had no vacation.

Tobio and Shouyou sat together, but by the first rows of seats because the redhead was easily dizzy. For the children, and especially Hinata being somewhat hyperactive, it was difficult not to be able to get up from their seats for safety reasons, and more than once the monitors caught their attention.

"Boys, be still please," said one of the monitors. He was young, so he was there as a volunteer. "You can hurt yourself with a braking"

"Yes..." the children muttered, although immediately they began to move again.

"Let's sing songs!" They heard a boy say. "Come on, you can't be grumpy the whole trip, we're on vacation."

"I don't want... it's embarrassing," answered a bored voice. Oddly, the children feel it familiar, so they got up in their seats to see who was behind. "Oh no…"

"Tsukishima!" They both exclaimed, when they saw their classmate sitting there next to a boy with blond hair.

"Do you know each other?" Said the boy. "Well, Kei, introduce me to your friends, come on!"

"They are not my friends, Akiteru..." Kei whispered, embarrassed.

"Hello!" The boy said, to the two children. "I am Akiteru, Kei's older brother. Who are you?"

"Hinata Shouyou!" The boy seemed like a good person, at least he was nicer than Kei. "He's Oikawa Tobio!

Unfortunately for Kei, his brother seemed to like them. Akiteru spent the whole trip playing with them, trying in vain for his little brother to participate. We reiterate 'in vain', because Kei refused to have contact with that group. Hinata and Tobio had a great time with their new friend and the supervisors were grateful that they had someone distracting them.

"Listen, boys and girls!" Said a black-haired, with wide-back supervisor. "We have reached our destination. Now we will have breakfast and then we will prepare the beds, okay?"

"Yes, Sawamura!" They all exclaimed in chorus. Said and done, the children got out of the vehicle and stood in a circle, sitting on the ground, for breakfast.

The camp was located in a house, where there were rooms available and a large dining room. Around it, courts were set up for various outdoor sports such as soccer or basketball, as well as a grass field to run and play. It was in the middle of mountains, so the children could be in contact with nature under the supervision of the teachers and the staff of the house.

There were three rooms, each with a name assigned to the children. To Tobio and Hinata's delight, they were in the same room. Although Tsukishima could not share the same happiness to see that they had been assigned the same one: the oak room.

Kei sighed as Hinata and Tobio fought over the top bunk.

"Children, are you finished?"" An ash-haired supervisor told them. "We'll start with today's activities, go to the yard later, okay?"

"Yes, monitor Sugawara!"

"Let's go!" Akiteru encouraged them, smiling. "I'm sure they'll make us play soccer until lunchtime now."

"Bleeeh," Tobio blurted out.

"Don't worry, Tobi!" Hinata took him by the hand. "Then we will have an hour free, and we will play volleyball"

"Wow, can we come too?!" Akiteru said to them. Kei had already given up. "Maybe I can teach you something! I play too"

"Yes!" Hinata exclaimed, jumping and taking Tobio with him. "You're a great older brother!"

Akiteru was thirteen years old, but he had the same desire to play as the children of six. He didn't want to spend the holidays sitting in a corner doing nothing, and he wanted to make sure his younger brother didn't. So, he found it wonderful that Kei had two children with him to play with. And the children, in turn, were impressed that an older boy was with them. For a kid, having a teenager in the same house was something extraordinary, and he immediately became a role model.

However, at meals, Akiteru had to sit at the table of his age, so the children were left alone with the high probability of ending up throwing things. And he was not wrong, because Kei said something that offended them and Tobio was the first to throw the plastic cup at him. (Please note that all the glasses were plastic for some reason). Hinata quickly added to him and Kei returned the things with some insults.

It was normal for the three of them to end up fighting, but what they didn't count on was damaging third parties. Or to quarters, in his case, because an elbow ended up hitting someone next to them: a blonde girl who burst into tears rubbing her forehead.

"Ah, I'm so sorry!" Hinata yelled. The poor girl was more scared.

"What's going on?" Monitor Sawamura said, folding his arms. Tobio and Kei looked away, while Hinata panicked and shook the girl to stop her crying. Which she obviously couldn't. "If you don't behave you will be punished all three, for your fight you have beaten her. Apologize to her immediately"

"Sorry..." they said, each with a different tone. The girl nodded, although she was still scrubbing his forehead with teary eyes. Tobio and Kei looked at each other badly but didn't throw anything.

"What is your name?" Hinata said, since he wanted the little girl to stop crying. The blonde looked at him, somewhat shy.

"H-Hitoka Yachi..." he muttered. Hinata got a little closer because he didn't quite hear her, and she was nervous. "Hitoka. Yachi" nothing. "Hitoka! Yachi! AAAH, sorry for screaming..."

"Don't worry, Hitoka! Hinata yelled, at her same volume. "Do you play volleyball?"

"Huh? N-no... N-no, sorry..."

"You don't play?!" Tobio exclaimed, almost offended. Yachi was scared, because he and the other blond boy were watching her and they were the ones who started throwing things at each other.

"It can be fixed!" Hinata said, coming to her defence. "I'll teach you"

"Oh sure," Tsukishima scoffed.

"Shut up, Tsukishima!" Hinata snapped, and Yachi hid under the table again fearing a pitched battle. "Hitoka, come out! Tsukishima only knows how to bark"

Hitoka waited and prayed that he wouldn't bite too.

\----------------- Time skip -----------------

"Okay, kids, leave the bags here!" the monitors told them.

The open field was organized and distributed so that they had a good place to sleep. Today they were going out at night, because they would sleep under the stars, that's why they had brought sleeping bags. The children left them on the ground and, after playing around the field, they all sat together waiting for it to get dark. The last rays of the sun disappeared on the horizon cut by the mountains and the monitors were in charge of putting each one in the corresponding bag.

The stars began to spread across the sky and Tobio remembered his father, who would already be excited to point them out and look for constellations. He would also scream when he saw blinking lights, saying it was some UFO, but Iwaizumi watered down the party by telling him that they were planes.

Then Tobio was sad. He had never been separated from the two of them for so long, and having his own room didn't count. He knew they were with him in the same house, so he wasn't scared at night. But there, in the middle of nowhere, Tobio felt very insecure. He heard Akiteru tell Kei that he could come with him in the sleeping bag so he wouldn't be afraid, and he really wanted his father or Iwa to come and be with him.

"Pssst, Tobi," Hinata's whispered voice heard. "Are you afraid?"

"No idiot"

"Stop insulting me," he complained. Hinata had already participated in the camp other years, so he was more used to it than the dark-haired kid. "Come, there is room. Uncle Keiji bought a bag for five people"

Tobio laughed a little and ran with him, so that no one would see that he was afraid and needed his friend. The two huddled together as they always used to do.

"You're not afraid…?" He said once settled.

"Nope! I'm sure Uncle Kouta is crying because I'm not home, more afraid than me" Shouyou said, and they both laughed.

"My dad would like to see the stars here. He likes to see UFOs" he added when the redhead turned to look at him and hear him better.

"Well, I hope my dad can see them well too."

"Does he also like them?" Tobio said, excited to see that he shared things with his friend.

"My dad is in heaven," he said, having no idea what that really meant. The boy just repeated what he had been told at home.

"Wow, is he in space?!" Tobio exclaimed, and a supervisor silenced him. Tobio didn't quite know what Shouyou was referring to either. "That's great! He can travel to other planets... my dad will love to know that. My grandfather is also there, you know? Maybe they know each other"

"Really!? That's great, Tobi! So Daddy won't be alone" Hinata hugged him tightly. "You will come next year, right?"

"Yes! And I'll tell Dad to show me the stars, and I'll show them to you too” Tobio assured him, returning the hug.

"Sure!" Hinata smiled at him and closed his eyes. "You are my best friend ~"

"You are also my best friend," he said, convinced. He kissed him on the cheek and fell asleep next to the other boy.

In the morning, the children returned to the house to continue their outdoor sports activities, but they didn't expect that it started to rain and rain that afternoon, and they had no choice but to stay inside, in the dining room or in the small living room. Indoor games in which the boys got to play volleyball. Hinata was nervous because it was raining, because he liked to be outdoors so much that the water had come to annoy him, but if they let him play volleyball then everything was fixed.

Yachi dared to be with them. Akiteru spent half an hour trying to convince her that she would be fine and he would see them so that the children won't get upset and end up hitting her again. More than once he had to push her away from the middle of the track, because the poor thing was getting nervous and didn't know where to stay still. And better this way, because the children soon began to throw the ball against each other and Hitoka was close to becoming an accidental target.

It was time to stop them a little and sit them down to rest a little, because they were too agitated and it was better to keep them calm and controlled. So the four children and Akiteru sat at one of the tables with a snack.

"Hey guys, check this out!" Two boys exclaimed, shaking a T-shirt. They were both about ten years old, at most, and they were laughing just by looking at the print on the clothes. "What an ugly thing! It's yours, right?"

Tobio frowned. From the looks of it, those kids always messed with the little ones and this time it was his turn. His father and his obsession with space had led him to buy things with prints of that theme. Tobio found no objection, because his father was happy when he brought these things to him, but apparently those children saw it as funny.

"Yes it is mine. Which problem you have?" he snapped. The children approached him, they became angry when they saw that their laughter didn't affect them.

"What a geek," said one, ready to continue the provocation.

"Tobi, don't listen to them," Hinata told him. "They are idiots"

"Oh, so now carrots talk, huh?"

"Hey, guys, it's enough," Akiteru told them. "Go somewhere else and leave them alone."

One of them slowed down a bit because Akiteru was older than them, but the other was unwilling to give in. He went to his table and opened a jar full of hunted crickets from the field, took one out and threw it at Yachi. She freaked out and screamed, getting up from the table throwing everything in her path.

"What a silly girl!" he mocked.

"Go away!" Akiteru ordered them, wanting to prevail, but the boy was a soft one and it was visible. So he wasn't scary, let's say.

"This is also our room."

"Tsk," Kei snapped. He picked up the cricket carefully and went to the table where the boy had come from. He dropped the cricket jar on the two children's snack, to which the two screamed in disgust and asked him to remove them from their food. Kei smiled at them and adjusted his glasses. "Pathetic."

The children left them alone to remove the bugs from their table, and putting them back in the jar was chaos. Kei kept smiling as the supervisors scolded them for not being careful with the crickets, because the poor things had enough to be hunted.

Akiteru sighed. In part, he was relieved that the children had stopped bothering his kids, but on the other, he was too surprised by Kei. Hinata, Tobio and Yachi were too, Hitoka still had scared watery eyes. Kei returned to his seat quite calmly, as if nothing had happened.

Thanks to Kei's intervention, during the afternoon and dinner the two boys didn't come to bother.

"Well, boys and girls, go brush your teeth and sleep," announced those responsible.

Tobio was already heading to his room when he met the two boys from before at the door. It seemed that they were looking for the children separately because they did not want to meet Tsukishima again. That, of course, they didn't say aloud because being bullied by a child younger than them was humiliating.

"Hey, you want to know what a real alien is and not what you have drawn here?"

"Leave me alone"

"Or what?" scoffed one.

"Are you going to call a teacher?" added the other. "Spooky!"

"I'll punch you both" Tobio stormed. The two boys laughed heartily and gave him a push to knock him to the ground. "You'll get it!"

"Look, we'll make a deal. You watch the video that we have prepared for you, and we will be at peace.

"A video?" The children nodded, and took out a mobile phone. "It's okay"

The children took him by the wrist and took him to their room. They sat him in the middle of the bed, they stayed at his sides, and made him hold the video. It was a compilation of scenes from the movie Alien and other films of alien invasions, and being the first time he saw such a thing, Tobio was scared and started crying while the other two children laughed without dissimulation.

"Leave him alone!" Hinata shouted, who had heard him cry and came to save his friend. He pushed them a little, not very strongly because of his age, and took the crying boy to the room they were assigned. "Tobio, don't cry, they are bad and stupid…"

"Dad said they were good..." Tobio sobbed. "It was scary…"

Hinata became nervous, he didn't know how to comfort his friend. Luckily, Sugawara heard him cry and came over to find out what was wrong with him. Suga was young, so having his attention was quite an event, so Tobio looked at him, though still crying.

"What's wrong?" he said sweetly. "Have you hurt yourself?"

"Those kids scared him!" Hinata said annoyed.

"T-the aliens were good... but that wasn't. Are they all like this?" Tobio murmured.

"That's a movie, what is shown is not real. They only did it to scare people" Suga explained with a smile. Tobio stopped sobbing. "Those kids just wanted to play a bad joke on you and if you listen to them, they take advantage. You are a brave child, who will not allow foolish children to think they are important, will you?"

"No!" Tobio agreed, the tears stopped falling. Sugawara kissed him on the forehead and the boy hugged him. Hinata, next to him, smiled when he saw that his friend had stopped crying and joined the hug.

"Shall I tell you a secret?" Suga said, in a low confident voice. "I am also a setter."

"Really!?" Tobio exclaimed, impressed. He stood up on the bed and waved his arms excitedly. "That's great!"

"You play volleyball!" Hinata yelled, adding to the black-haired man's agitation. Sugawara smiled even more, now the two boys stopped being worried and scared. "Can we play with you?"

"Of course! But that will be tomorrow, because now you have to sleep, okay? Daichi will also come, who also plays"

"BRILLIANT!" The two children shouted, jumping at the same time and they did a high five.

"Now everyone goes to bed." He ordered, both of them and the other boys and girls in the oak room. "Shall I tell you a shadow tale?"

"Yes!" They all exclaimed from their beds. Curiously, Akiteru was heard the most.

Sugawara prepared a flashlight with a transparent sheet over the light. That sheet had a black silhouette of a bird that, when the light in the room went out and the lantern went on, was reflected in large on the wall. So Suga told them a story about crows until all the children fell asleep.

The next morning was the last day of camp and coincided with Hinata's birthday. Shouyou woke up cheerfully and screeched trying to imitate the crows from Sugawara's tale.

"HINATA!" Tobio yelled when he found him in the dining room. Hinata stretched out his arms to receive the boy. "Happy Birthday…"

"No way! It's your birthday?!" Akiteru exclaimed. "Congratulations!"

"Thank you!" Hinata replied happily.

"Uaaah, we have no gift!" Yachi said, getting nervous. "I am sorry! I have nothing…"

"No matter!" Hinata said, smiling. "We're going to play volleyball."

"Go Go!" Tobio insisted, taking him by the hand. "Suga and Monitor Sawamura will be waiting for us."

Hinata and Tobio ran towards the playroom, laughing, and Yachi hurried to follow them while Akiteru urged Kei to congratulate him on the birthday. But Kei was too proud to do it. Sugawara and Sawamura played with them and taught them things, and the children were super happy about it.

"Look, look..." Hinata said, raised his arms like wings and shouted: "Raaaaa!

"Wow, what a good sound, little crow!" Suga said.

"Tobi, Tobi, do it too," Hinata insisted, shaking the aforementioned.

"Kwaa!" He wanted to imitate him. Daichi laughed when the two little ones started yelling sounds at each other to see who the best crow was.

"Do it too, Tsukishima!"

"... Raw"

"We are crows, not dinosaurs!"

"Hiiii!" Yachi screeched, trying to imitate them, when it was her turn.

"Well, children, those squawks will have to be practiced a bit!" Sawamura said. "But time to time."

"But they're cute, that's what counts now," Sugawara defended them. "They're good crow babies."

The four of them, Kei included (though he didn't show it too much), were overjoyed to hear that. Then they continued playing until the monitors gathered all the boys and girls to go to the pool and swim a little before lunch. Being one of their kid's birthdays, they made a dessert cake in which Hinata blew out seven candles.

In the afternoon they had a little time to play a little, but they had to get on the bus early to get to the city in good time. Akiteru was happy that three children (Hinata, Tobio and Yachi) wanted to sing songs with him, because Kei flatly refused again.

"Tobio-chan!" was heard when they got out of the vehicle. Tobio looked for the origin of the voice and ran off to find his father. Hinata followed, since it was up to him to get home. "How has it been? Have you missed me?"

"He did," Hinata answered for him, and Tobio gave him a gentle push.

"Aww, my little boy," Oikawa hugged him tightly and shook him a little, making him laugh at the end. "Good, to the car! Oh, and happy birthday, little one"

"Thank you," Hinata replied, happy to be the attention of the moment again.

"It was amazing!" the children told him, while driving. "I want to go back next year, Daddy, can I?"

"Yes, I see no problem."

"Brilliant!" The two children celebrated it very happy. Oikawa smiled at them as they were so happy.

"Oh, Dad, you know what? Hinata's dad knows Grandpa"

Oikawa frowned slightly and looked at them through the rear mirror. The grandfather's topic didn't come up much as a topic of conversation, for various reasons, so the boy remembering it and with those words it was a bit strange.

"Oh really?"

"Yes," Hinata replied. "They travel together through space! To heaven!"

"…How good" Oikawa muttered, who didn't know what to say. Those two were too excited about it, didn't know what it stood for or what they were actually saying. Oikawa, who knew it well, had to fake a smile. It wasn't difficult for him to do it, anyway.

They left Hinata at his home, Bokuto cried like a child when he saw him because he had missed him, and the two Oikawas went to their respective home. Iwaizumi wasn't like Bokuto, but he did hug him for a long time, listening to him tell his experience at the camp.

Night came and something extraordinary happened. Tobio threw himself on his bed, rolling between the sheets, and noticed his alien stuffed animal. He got nervous... Sugawara had told him to ignore the video and those children, but he couldn't help it. He had an alien in the room, he had to make sure it wasn't bad.

"Dad, come, run!" he exclaimed. Oikawa appeared a few moments later.

"Tobio-chan, don't scream so much at night, we have neighbours and they complain"

"But Dad... I have to know if it's bad!" Tobio pointed at the stuffed toy.

"Huh? It isn't bad, Mr Moon is good... Why do you say that?"

"Moon!?" He said, scared, seeing that "moon" was also Tsukishima. "Dad, it's bad, he's going to eat us!"

"Tobio-chan, I don't understand you, what's wrong?" Tobio had never felt rejection of the toy, he had it since he was six months old and he never parted with it.

"Dad, there are bad aliens that eat people! They are ugly and they growl!"

Oikawa sighed and sat down on the bed next to him. He took the toy and showed it to him, Tobio took a step back.

"Hollywood has done a lot of damage," he told him. "Aliens are good, they just want to meet us and see who we are. They are not bad, nor are they going to eat us"

"How are you so sure?" The boy said, narrowing his eyes. Then he opened them wide, a little scared. Could it be that...? "Iwa-chan!" He shouted, and the answer of the mentioned one was heard from afar, in the kitchen. "Is Dad a bad alien in disguise?!"

"Of course, little one, you just have to see him," Iwaizumi replied, and Tobio jumped away from his father.

"Iwa-chan, you are an ogre!" Oikawa replied. "Tobio-chan, I'm not an alien in disguise."

"How can you know that?!" The boy replied, upset. Then he came up to him and put his head against his stomach. "Do you have it inside...?"

"No," he replied, and pulled him away a little to look at him. "Listen, these are all tales of fools who want to discredit the aliens. Aliens are friends, and I'm going to show you, little one" He sighed and his eyes suddenly watered. "The day has come... my boy, your day has come. The most important of your childhood, the one you will remember throughout your life. Dad is going to show you something wonderful"

"What is it…?" Tobio muttered, half curious, half scared.

Oikawa left for a moment and came back, proud, with the ET movie in hand.

\----------------Time skip----------------

"Hurry up, hurry up!"

"Tobio-chan, calm down a bit. Iwa-chan, go prepare the tent."

"I always have to do it by myself..."

"Because you do it great, honey!" Oikawa kissed him and, with his son by the hand, went into the forest.

Tobio was holding on to the stuffed toy, he was very excited about this adventure. After watching the ET movie, he had convinced himself that the toy should go with his companions into space. He kept asking for it for days and days, and in the end, Oikawa agreed to go to the outskirts of Miyagi with a tent, and allow the boy to fulfil his goal. Besides, Oikawa was also excited about the excursion, obviously.

"Very well, Tobio-chan, now you must leave Mr Moon on the ground and we will wait for his family to come."

Tobio nodded, well responsible, and moved away from his father a little. He put the stuffed toy on top of some rocks and returned to Oikawa.

"Now, close your eyes! Aliens are shy, and if you look at them, they freak out."

Tobio obeyed instantly, Oikawa also covered his eyes because he had already got into the role. It was Iwaizumi who came over and took the stuffed animal, so when Tobio and Oikawa opened their eyes the toy was gone.

"Dad, he's gone!" Tobio exclaimed.

"Yes! Look up!" Oikawa yelled, pointing to an airplane. "They are there! Say goodbye to Mr Moon, Tobio-chan!"

"Goodbye, Mr Moon and your family too!" He and Oikawa looked at each other proudly, and Tobio raised his arms so that his father would lead him like that back to the tent.

Iwaizumi had finished assembling everything, and had put everything from blankets to the ground covering the grass and leaving a couple to cover. Even if it was summer, the countryside air was cool and it would be cold at night. The three had dinner and, while Iwaizumi was preparing the bags inside the tent, Oikawa snuggled Tobio in his arms, covering himself with one of the blankets.

"Have you seen what a beautiful sky we have?" He said, he noticed how Tobio was nodding against his chest. "I used to come here often with my dad, he was the one who taught me the stars the first time"

"Can I learn them too? I told Hinata that I would show them to him... but I don't know any"

"Of course," said Oikawa, excited to show him the sky.

For him, having his father show him the stars was one of the most beautiful memories of his childhood. Since he never thought about having children, he believed that the habit would stay between him and his father, but now that he had Tobio it was a perfect opportunity to do the same.

Oikawa began naming and pointing stars, and Tobio got lost along the way. His father had become so enthusiastic that he couldn't follow him and ended up falling asleep. When Oikawa realized that he was speaking alone, he fell silent as he realized that he was speaking too quickly. His own father had been calmer and more patient, which is why he recognized them so well now.

Tooru covered both of them better with the blanket, staring at the sky. He couldn't help but feel nostalgic for the place, for the situation, for the views, for the warmth of his son… It was like reliving the memory that he always treasured and was beautiful, but deep inside, something nailed painfully into his chest.  
Sometimes when he was alone he was saddened for no apparent reason. His heart was shrinking, his lungs seemed to close and he wasn't allowed to breathe well. His mind revived memories with his father, and the pain in his chest grew and grew.

When he was alone, he could still hear the squeal of the tires braking, and the windows shattering.

Iwaizumi left the tent and took Tobio inside to continue sleeping comfortably. Afterward, he stood silently by his side, acknowledging that lost gaze, wandering through painful memories. Everyone could describe Oikawa as someone carefree, happy and childish, but only Iwaizumi knew that all of this was exactly what he wasn't.

Hajime wrapped an arm around him, Oikawa rested his head on his shoulder and closed his eyes.

"You don't have to pretend with me," he said in a whisper. "You know you can't lie to me."

"It hurts, Iwa-chan..." Oikawa murmured, clinging to the boy. "It still hurts…"

"I know," he said, stroking his hair. "You miss him"

"M-more than that, Iwa-chan..." Oikawa's voice cracked. "If he hadn't covered me, he would be alive... why did he do that...?"

"Hey, don't say that..." But he knew that even if Oikawa told him he wouldn't do it again, he would still do it. He knows him too well, and Iwaizumi knows that topic is something Tooru would never get over. "I want you to tell me, every time you think that, okay?"

Oikawa nodded and kissed him, trembling slightly. Iwaizumi thought again that he wouldn't, his partner would again show a fake smile so that others could see that he was perfectly fine. Iwaizumi would guess again that, inside him, it was a rough sea.

Iwaizumi slowly made love to him between the covers, it was the only thing he could do now to calm him down. Because one thing is to know what is going through his mind at all times, and the other was to be able to really do something for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are now entering to the angty side of the story! Is Oikawa as well as he seems to be?


	7. Chapter 7

"Yahoooo, Tobio-chaaan!"

Tobio smiled and went to him. He was happy, because his father rarely came to pick him up after school. Normally, Iwaizumi already did it as he was in the same place but today he had a trip with a class and it was Oikawa who picked him up.

Tobio wasn't the only one delighted to see him there, and it is that some people present found it phenomenal that someone attractive was at their side. Some moms were moved to see how he hugged him and kissed his son. For them, it didn't matter that it was someone young, they liked to see a single father taking care of their young son.

Of course he wasn't single, but they didn't see it as important to remember now, nor did they remember their husbands.

"Heyey," Bokuto was heard greeting, who hit the five with the two children and clapped Oikawa on the back, so hard that it almost dislocated his shoulder. "I wanted to talk to you!"

"Yeah?" Oikawa said, while he recovered.

"You see, my team will have a game here, in Miyagi, and since I have not yet joined again, they asked me to at least come and see them play. I got tickets, but Akaashi recently found out he's on duty at the hospital. He's a nurse! With how well he plays volleyball, and he didn't come with me... Although he's very good at his job! It's the best that...!"

"Uncle Koutaa," Hinata crooned. When Bokuto talked about Akaashi, he could spend hours and the little one had to stop him.

"Yeah. And we couldn't find a babysitter for Natsu, so I'll stay with her. But Little Orange was excited to go, right?" Hinata nodded. "Then, I thought that you can keep the tickets and go with the children, surely Blueberry will also like"

"Wow, yes dad!" Tobio exclaimed, who had never seen a game live.

“Well, it can be fun, I don't work that day too. We will tell Iwa-chan today at dinner" The two children looked at each other, excited.

"Hi kids!" Akiteru Tsukishima greeted them, who was looking for his brother.

"The good Tsukishima!"

"Is there a bad one?" The boy asked, somewhat confused. Kei then left class and the three children looked at each other, tense. "Oh well"

The group left the building, as they wouldn't stand forever at the door. The children were a few steps ahead, Akiteru insisting Kei to speak to them, and Oikawa and Bokuto were behind.

"Ah, look!" Hinata exclaimed suddenly. "It's Yachiiii!"

The boys smiled when they met the girl. They hadn't seen her since the summer camp because they didn't know exactly where she lived, so they were very happy to see her. Now they could keep in touch with her.

"H-hi!" Yachi greeted them, blushing.

"Hitoka-chan," the woman with her called. Curiously, Tobio seemed familiar. But he had never seen Yachi before camp, so it was kind of weird.

"L-look, Aunt Yuko, T-they're a-friends..." She got nervous. "I-I met them at the camp."

"Oh yeah?" the woman said, with a pretty smile. Freckles looked pretty on her face, made her look more jovial. "Tadashi, come, don't stay behind."

"The boy with freckles!" Tobio shouted when he saw him. The boy was scared with the scream.

"Really?!" Hinata exclaimed. "Hello, freckles child! Tobi wants to be your friend"

"H-Hinata..."

"Uh, me?" said the freckled. "W-why?"

"I-I saw you in the soup kitchen..., and I-I wanted to say hello. Hi"

"Hello..." he whispered shyly. Yamaguchi looked at everyone present, and noticed that the blond with glasses was watching him closely. The boy turned his face slightly red and Tadashi found himself doing the same.

"We were going to the park," said Hitoka. "Are you coming...?"

"Yes!" they said before the two adults could decide. Although for Bokuto there was no need to worry, because he was the first one who wanted to get on the swings.

They stayed playing in a nearby park, the adults watching them closely. Yamaguchi played with them without problems, thanks to the fact that Hinata mediated between him and the other two children who were too shy to speak to him. Yachi was also making progress, so they all had a good time.

But they couldn't spend the whole afternoon there, or it would get dark so they were soon called to leave the park.

"Goodbye, Freckles" said Hinata. "I liked meeting you. Tobi says he wants to keep playing with you"

"Y-yes..." Tobio said nervously. He had not yet become accustomed to the presence of a new child.

"Tsukishima too!" Added the redhead. Kei blushed a lot.

"Wow, Kei, you'll have one more friend!" Akiteru added, with good intention. His brother turned to face no one.

"I-I want to keep seeing you, too," Tadashi said, smiling. "We can see each other here in the park, right mom?"

"Of course dear"

"Can I come too?" Yachi asked, playing with her skirt.

"Yes!" Hinata exclaimed, jumping, glad to have companions to play with.

"Well, Little Orange, say goodbye to Coffee, Akaashi wants to have dinner early," said Bokuto.

"Do you always call children with food?" Oikawa said, guessing that Coffee was the freckled boy.

"Yes! It's funny" Bokuto said, very sure. "Right, Salty?"

"Uhmm..." Tsukishima muttered.

"Natsu is Tangerine," Hinata agreed, defending his uncle.

"Well, it's time to go. Iwa-chan will be home now" Oikawa said, taking his son's hand.

"Goodbye," said the little boy.

"Goodbye blueberry!" Bokuto exclaimed, and when they were a bit far away he added: "Goodbye Chocolate!"

Oikawa spent exactly five seconds thinking about what Koutaro was talking about.

"I am Chocolate?" he ended up asking, Tobio thought about it, also nodded at the end after observing him well. "Why chocolate?"

"Don't worry, Daddy, chocolate is delicious"

"You're right, your father is!" He exclaimed proudly, considering it. Tobio laughed without understanding the joke.

Tobio was beginning to swing on his arm, as he always did when walking, when Oikawa's cell phone made a sound. It was a message from an unknown number that read like this:

_You are even more attractive than before, the years do not weigh you at all, honey_

_"I'm afraid you have the wrong number˜"_ he replied, because no one he knew treated him as "honey", let alone an unknown number. He left the cell phone abandoned for the rest of the afternoon, because Tobio was calling his attention, jealous of the electronic device that distracted Dad.

So he didn't see the last message received.

_Of course not, darling <3 _

\--------------------- Time skip ---------------------

"Very well," said Iwaizumi. "It only remains to put these things, wait for me outside, this is too heavy for you. In a minute I am done"

"Okay!" Tobio exclaimed. Iwaizumi had stayed for a while after school to tidy up the sporting storehouse a little, and Tobio had helped him a little with the less heavy things.

Tobio left the warehouse and sat on some steps in the school yard, swinging his legs playfully. After a while he saw a young woman with long black hair approaching. She looked like he was going to smile at him, but upon closer inspection his smile faded and she sat down beside him very seriously.

"Are you Tobio Oikawa?" she said.

"Who are you?" The boy said, after nodding, somewhat shy.

"I know your father, you know?"

"Oh really" the woman agreed, now she did smile.

"I am a very special person to him, and he to me too. But I haven't seen it in a while, and I would like to. Where do you live?"

"Do you know that huge fountain next to a big tree?" Said the little one, opening his arms to indicate the size of the things described. "There were little fish before, but now there are only cans... Right ahead!"

"Thank you. So... is your dad a journalist?"

"Yes! He says that he will soon be famous all over the world" Tobio's eyes sparkled from talking about his father, because he was super proud that someone asked him about him. That way they would also see that their dad is amazing. "Do you know that he will go to Korea for the Asian Cup next year? Isn't that amazing?!"

"Yes! Is your father home now?"

"I don't know, sometimes he works at home and other times in the newsroom. I was there once! It's not very comfortable... I hope they give him a nice big office"

"Tobio," Iwaizumi's voice was heard. Tobio stood up when he saw him arrive, he had already finished cleaning so they could go home. But Iwaizumi tensed, and hurried to get to where the woman and child were. He stood in front of Tobio, as if hiding him. "What are you doing here?"

"Iwaizumi!" she exclaimed, in a tone of feigned joy. "Are you still the bodyguard? How is Tooru? ˜"

"I'm his boyfriend," Hajime clarified, folding his arms. "And what Oikawa does is none of your concern."

"Oikawa...?" The woman laughed. "So, is he your 'boyfriend' but you call him by his last name...? You see that I am the only one who tells him by his name, it will be for something"

"Look, we already told you once and I don't see why I should repeat it to you. Leave him alone, he wants nothing with you"

"We haven't seen each other in a long time, but it didn't bother me because it's wonderful to have a boyfriend who studies in Tokyo," she kept saying, ignoring him. "I didn't know he had returned to Miyagi. Now we can meet again like romantic movies!"

"Shut up," Iwaizumi warned him. "And don't go near him, he's fine without you."

"Because you say so."

"Yes, I say so, so what? Get away from him and the boy. You have nothing to do here"

"What is it, can't I see my Tooru?"

"You can't. He's not yours"

"No, dear, he won't be yours. Also, you can't stop me from seeing my so..."

"Don't even think about it," Iwaizumi interrupted, about to explode. Tobio was totally unaware of his mother, and Hajime didn't want him to find out about it, there in the middle of the schoolyard.

Iwaizumi took Tobio by the hand and led him there before the woman could say anything else. He was furious, years had passed without knowing about her and now she was walking around as openly as if she hadn't done enough damage. Oikawa spent days chasing away that stalker, he hadn't been stressed because of her so that now she returned to his life with the child in the middle.

"Why are you angry?" Tobio asked cautiously. Iwaizumi looked at him and sighed reassuringly. The boy wasn't to blame for anything, so he didn't deserve his anger.

"Nothing, just don't talk to her again."

"Why?"

"It's... well, don't do it, period. Did she say something to you?"

"She was asking about Dad. She knows him!" Iwaizumi sighed again. Of course she knew him...

"That woman is not your father's friend. No... He doesn't like her" Tobio wrinkled his nose. If his father didn't like that girl, he would be the same for him. But he also didn't understand why. "What exactly did she ask you?"

"Where we lived."

"And…?" Tobio looked at him. "You told her! Tobio, we have told you not to give directions to someone you don't know!"

"B-but she knows Dad..."

"Listen... Don't let it happen again, okay? I don't want you to talk to her, and if you see her again you'll tell me"

"Yes"

"And don't tell any of this to your father."

Oikawa was waiting for them at home, and Tobio, obedient, didn't tell him what had happened. Well, actually, the little boy forgot the fact because he didn't find the importance it had for Iwaizumi. While Tooru and Tobio sat together and the older one helped with the homework, Iwaizumi took the opportunity to get a good time under the shower. He needed to calm down if he wanted to hide this event, because Oikawa was smart and would know it just looking him in the eye. So he had to relax as much as possible so that his anger didn't give him away.

But Oikawa realized immediately, just out of the shower. Knowing that it would be difficult to extract information from him while Tobio was in front, he waited for the night, in bed. Iwaizumi occasionally sighed, as if trying to relax, and that didn't go unnoticed. His boyfriend was having trouble staying calm, and that was a red flag.

"Iwa-chan," he whispered, hugging him. "What's wrong? You're like ... upset. Did something happen at school?"

Iwaizumi tensed, because it had just happened at school. But he was unwilling to tell him, because the matter would trouble him greatly. Iwaizumi just wanted Oikawa to be calm with his life.

"It's nothing, just one of those bad days. You know"

"Something's wrong with you," the brown-haired man insisted again, looking him in the eye. Wrong, Iwaizumi told himself, there was no escape. He had been discovered. "Tell me, come on."

"It's nothing, really. Don't worry" Oikawa waited a few seconds in silence, still evaluating his gaze. He knew it, he knew he was hiding something bad. Iwaizumi turned his head.

"If it were serious, you would tell me, right?" Oikawa said after a while, strengthening the hug.

"Yes," Iwaizumi assured him. Iwaizumi hoped that his own words were true, that it had only been a mere circumstance and that's it. That she would disappear and never give trouble again.

But deep down, deep down inside, he was scared.


	8. Chapter 8

The whistle that was blown by the referee, the footsteps and the hits, an entire team cheering each other up, the audience following their enthusiasm, and the two children screaming in ecstasy. Shouyou and Tobio watched the game with their mouths open to see how the older played, it was something extraordinary. They were professionals, they lived with volleyball and they were stronger and faster than children.

Iwaizumi and Oikawa were smiling at seeing them so happy, while also enjoying the match.

"Have you seen that?!" Hinata shouted, shaking his friend when he saw the play of a spiker. Tobio didn't bother, he returned the shake with the same intensity.

"Tobio-chan, you have to look at #2. It's the setter" Oikawa said, who was already more willing to accept that the son wanted to play in that position. Tobio clung to his arm, looking intently at the player his father was pointing at.

"Ah, it's like Akaashi said!" he exclaimed later. He blushed a little when he saw his father's questioning gaze. "He gave me some advice..."

Before Oikawa could add anything, Hinata took his son by the hand so they could watch the end of the game from the railing.

"In the end, everyone will teach him things except you," Iwaizumi told him. Oikawa rolled his eyes. Just because he started to accept it didn't mean he wasn't hard. "Why do you make that face every time the subject comes up?"

"What face?" Oikawa said, clearly hiding.

"What's wrong?"

Oikawa sighed and crossed his arms. It wasn't a subject he liked to talk about, but he didn't want to do it in the middle of a sports stadium either. But Iwaizumi wouldn't leave him alone until he spoke.

"I don't know," he said, Iwaizumi frowned annoyed. He didn't expect that kind of response. "I-I guess its nostalgia or something."

Iwaizumi relaxed, since the boy didn't deserve a scolding now that he had been able to open up a bit. Oikawa still regretted not being there in front, on the court, like those men, playing.

"Why didn't you tell me?" When Oikawa was so closed, even for Iwaizumi it was difficult to read him. Iwaizumi understood that the boy would have been offended that they hadn't even allowed him to do the try-outs, but he didn't count on the fact that it still weighed so much to him.

In response, Oikawa shrugged.

"Hey," said Iwaizumi, slowly. "If it hurts you so much, don't you think you're martyring yourself by being a journalist? Do you like what you do…?"

There was no response, because the game ended and there was a huge ovation from the public.

"We have to go to dinner," Oikawa said, getting up and standing next to the children so that no crazy adults would jump on them and hurt them. The children were oblivious to danger because they were excited by the end of the game, jumping and yelling at each other.

Iwaizumi didn't restart the topic, because Oikawa wouldn't like to talk about it in front of the children. Neither did him, so he reserved himself for a private setting. They took the children to a fast-food restaurant, where there was soon a potato fight, which the adults had to stop before they really hurt themselves.

It all started because Tobio wanted to steal a Hinata French fry.

"Tobio, another man's food is sacred."

"Hinata is not a man," said the boy, looking at his friend with an arched eyebrow. "That's why I can steal potatoes from him."

"Evil!" Hinata exclaimed, and started to steal food.

And so they ended up throwing it over his head, until Oikawa separated them.

"I won't get them both out of the house at the same time again," he said. His son was already a disaster alone, but with Hinata it was as if a hurricane and an earthquake were coming together.

"We couldn't sit together either," Iwaizumi said. "Don't you remember how our excursion to the zoo ended?"

"It was your fault, that penguin bit me. You tricked me and made me believe that they let themselves be touched"

"Dad, did a penguin bite you?" Tobio asked, amazed. It's one thing to be bitten by a common animal, but not a penguin.

"My uncle Kouta was bitten by a guinea pig," said Hinata.

"That's not half as cool as the penguin thing!" Tobio snapped.

"What's so cool about being bitten by a penguin, dear...?" Oikawa muttered, confused.

"You don't get bitten by a penguin every day! Cats scratch you, or dogs, even turtles bite" Tobio was saying. "But not a penguin! I wish I was bitten by one..."

Oikawa narrowed his eyes and leaned towards Iwaizumi.

"Remind me not to take him to the zoo for another ten years."

"Who tells you that he will not want it when he is seventeen?" Iwaizumi replied.

"You are weird, Tobi," said Hinata, speaking for everyone.

Tobio gave him a push and Hinata returned it. But they were separated immediately. Soon they were on another topic.

"Dad, Iwa-chan, Hinata and I have thought of something" Tobio said and both Oikawa and Iwaizumi froze from the fear produced by the ideas of those two children. "Shall we say it together?"

"Yes!"

The two boys smiled at each other, the previous food fights had been totally forgotten by a larger project. Their eyes sparkled with pure joy, no mischief in between, so the two older ones relaxed a little.

"We will be players like them!" They said at once.

"He will be my spiker!"

"And he's my setter!"

The children smiled more as Oikawa involuntarily squeezed the glass with the drink.

"That is very good, but you have to practice a lot!" Iwaizumi said to them.

"We do, Uncle Kouta is teaching me," said Hinata proudly. "And Uncle Keiji too, right?"

"Yes, he's good!" Tobio said, delighted to flatter his crush. "But Iwa-chan is also a good teacher. Can you help us, Iwa-chan?"

"Sure"

"Good!" The two little ones celebrated.

Tobio usually adored his father, but now he didn't have his eyes on him. Oikawa had given no indication that he wanted to teach them something, so now Iwaizumi had taken centre stage. In volleyball matters, the hero was Iwaizumi and not his father.

Hinata and Tobio were so excited about their future work that they forgot all the differences and shared the French fries, even if they were the same type. They also stained themselves with ketchup.

"What a mess. Come on, let's go to the toilet to clean you" Iwaizumi said. The children got up with him.

"I wait for you outside," said Oikawa, who was close to running away. Iwaizumi looked at him for a moment, noting his discomfort, but soon left with the children.

Oikawa went out into the street and gave thanks that it was windy, because that way he could take all the air he needed after holding his breath in there. Earlier, he hadn't fully told Iwaizumi how he felt. He did feel nostalgic, because not being there hurt him so much. It was his dream, something he had cultivated in his teens, during a very difficult time for him. A copying mechanism that had become a goal, and had been taken away as if a plant were uprooted by its root.

Not only was that, but it had a lot to do with it. Oikawa didn't dislike that his son liked to play volleyball, on the contrary, but one thing was that and the other was that he had now decided to play professionally. Like he wanted. And Oikawa was concerned.

Tobio was very excited, his little eyes shone like stars in a night sky, and Oikawa would die right there if they did the same to him. That his great dream was interrupted in such a way. He didn't want his son to feel such disappointment.

Oikawa ran a hand through his hair and leaned against the wall, waiting for the others to come out.

Then he saw her.

"Tooru!" she exclaimed, approaching. Oikawa stood upright, although inside he was cursing every living being and even more when she rushed over to hug him. "How have you been?"

"How did you find me?" He said dryly, though he already feared the answer.

"A girlfriend knows where her boyfriend is at all times, darling," she assured him, Oikawa knew that meant she had been following him. "Won't you kiss me? We haven't seen each other for so long..."

"I just want you to get away."

"Sometimes you are so cold... but I know you aren't like that," she winked at him.

"I don't have to keep listening to you. So get off Suzuki"

"Oh come on, you know you can call me by my name. Repeat with me: Naoko" she said, giving him a tap with the finger on the nose. Oikawa pulled her hand away, but she held on to his. Naoko held on with her fingernails to keep him from letting go, but Oikawa was stronger and yanked her free. "The other day I saw the kid"

When something went wrong in Suzuki's eyes, she always changed the subject to one that was more likely to gain his attention.

"You did what?" Oikawa growled. "What did you say to him?"

"Nothing, your friend was there" It was then that Oikawa understood why Iwaizumi was so upset, Hajime couldn't stand her. "I could have told him that I'm his mother, and that we're family."

"You are nothing, nor will you ever be. You abandoned him and, of course, you did him a favour. We are better off without you"

"Do you think so? A child needs his mother and father together. Although..., it's a pity that he doesn't look more like you" Then, she jumped and hung on his neck. Oikawa reacted in time so that she didn't get to kiss him, and pulled her apart firmly.

"Leave us alone," he released harshly. Oikawa was not for games, he didn't want her close to him or his son.

"Do you bark like Iwaizumi now, or what?" She said. "A boy as handsome as you cannot be with uncivilized people"

Before Oikawa could come to the defence of his partner, she turned and left, shouting, "See you!" so loud that it wouldn't surprise him to hear her inside the same restaurant. Oikawa quickly realized that she had raised her voice so that Iwaizumi, who was coming then, could hear her.

The two looked at each other tense, while the children talked among themselves oblivious to all that.

"Why didn't you tell me…?" Oikawa muttered.

Iwaizumi didn't know what to say to him.

\----------------Time skip----------------

When Iwaizumi heard his partner growl in anger in the morning, he knew that a tough day awaited them. Of the three inhabitants of the house, it was Oikawa who woke up the best, so Iwaizumi went to look for him in the living room to see what had bitten him.

Oikawa had released his anger against a magazine, which was smashed on the sofa. He kept as far away from it as possible. Iwaizumi moved forward slowly, assessing the situation. Oikawa looked really angry.

"Something happens?" He said softly. Oikawa noticed him and sighed a little relieved, but one of his eyebrows was still arched with discomfort.

"What do she get out of this...?" He said, although Iwaizumi couldn't follow him if he didn't explain from the beginning. "I'm a sports journalist, not from tabloids… They don't have to get me into their world"

Iwaizumi understood it immediately when he saw the photograph, somewhat wrinkled by the mistreatment received by the brunet. It was a photo that, although it was somewhat dark because it was  
taken at night, Oikawa was perfectly seen in it with a girl in his arms. It was taken the moment Naoko Suzuki fell on top of him, but although Oikawa had quickly pushed her away, from that angle it looked as if they were going to kiss.

"The one who defended homosexuality cheats on his boyfriend with a woman..." Iwaizumi murmured, reading above. He released it immediately. "I told you, they would come after you."

"And what can I do?! This is not my fault. I got rid of her! But they haven't shown that"

"They only show what they want to see." Oikawa sighed deeply trying not to explode again and lash out again at the magazine.

"Maybe it will stay like this. I won't talk to anyone about it, I continue with my profession. It doesn't have to affect me, either, does it? If I don't care, they'll leave me alone"

Iwaizumi looked at him worriedly. If celebrities had been harassed to illness, even if they had been silent, they might as well do it to him. In addition, Oikawa was an attractive and charismatic boy who surely had already earned glances. Not only had the girl who harassed him reappeared day after day, but now he would also have to get rid of those parasites who call themselves journalists.

"Hopefully," he said at the end. There was nothing else to tell him, because if he told him his fears, surely he would also tremble. It would be best if he believed that and maybe, just maybe, it would be like that.

"I'm ready," Tobio announced, appearing in the living room, already dressed. He stared at the two of them, who seemed to be angry at a pile of paper.

"Yes, let's go," said Iwaizumi, after a sigh. He looked a few more seconds at his partner, to see if he was calmer, and then left home with the kid.

Oikawa had time to sit down and calm down completely. He tossed the magazine away from him and closed his eyes. He himself didn't believe that these scavengers were going to leave him alone, if they had published the photo it was because they saw substance. It was like an animal stalking him from behind, waiting for a false movement due to lack of patience.

"What does that mean?" his sister said to him. As soon as she saw the published photograph, she called him to find out what exactly was happening. Oikawa explained it to her over the top, he trusted her but didn't feel like telling everything over and over again. "Has she come back again?"

"Yes... And you can see that they considered it to be super news"

"What if you tell them the truth? Maybe then they'll leave you alone"

"They won't, they'll want to know more about her. And it's a matter of time before they find out she's Tobio-chan's mother, and I don't want that to be scattered around. Tobio-chan can't find out like that"

"Speaking of which, now that she has appeared again, are you going to tell him?"

"Not now. He's still too little... and I don't know how to explain it to him without taking it badly"

"Well... I guess it's normal, but be careful. If she tells him, it will be worse" Oikawa couldn't deny that. Naoko had already spoken to Tobio, nothing assured him that she wouldn't do it again. "Has she spoken to you or followed you after that?"

"I don't know if she followed me, but she calls me every so often. Even if I block her number, she always communicates from a different number. Last night she called four times, I know it was her because nobody else calls at three in the morning"

"Change your number. If you only tell those you care about, she may not find you"

"I will, but I already did it once and she found me anyway."

"Try it. Are you going out today?"

"No, today I'm staying home working," Oikawa said, who at the same time sat at the table and switched on his laptop.

"Better... I think it would be nice if you don't go out much until they found something more succulent than this and forgot about you."

Oikawa started working while her sister was talking about other things to change the subject. Yumi could speak all day long, but he didn't mind at all. That way he had other things to think about, and listening to his sister was comforting. They had always gotten along well, despite being ten years apart.

"Hey, do you think if we meet for lunch? I'll bring the food, don't worry" she laughed, knowing that her brother had many gifts but the kitchen was not one of them. "I have time before I go to work."

"Okay, but if I don't like what you bring, I'll have to cook myself" the brother joked. "I wait for you"

"You are going to beg me to stay because of the excellent food I will bring, you will see" there were moments of silence in which Oikawa supposed that her sister was preparing to leave, but when Yumi returned the tone of voice was different. "Look... I know we had changed the subject but I think you should know. Put on the TV, right now..."

"What happens?" He asked confused, while he looked for the remote control and turned on the television on the channel that his sister told him. There was no lack of response, since he himself could verify what was happening.

It was a gossip show in which they filmed none other than Iwaizumi who was cornered by various reporters and bombarded by thousands of questions. Tobio was also seen clinging to his leg, frightened by the crowd of people. They had been found outside the school and poor Iwaizumi looked very overwhelmed.

"Oh no, Iwa-chan... He'll be on his nerves," Oikawa said. "Dammit…"

If Oikawa already wanted to punch the face of one of those reporters, he didn't imagine how Iwaizumi would feel. His patience was hanging by a thin thread and on top was the child in the middle, who looked about to cry from the stress that so many people produced at the same time.

"I'll go get them," he finished saying.

"Don't go out, if they see you a bigger one will be put together"

"Iwa-chan won't take it anymore." Oikawa cut the call and ran out of the house.

His sister had every right to worry about him leaving the house, since he himself knew that if he appeared around, they will throw themselves on him. But that was already what he had to do, because that way Iwaizumi could get out of the crowd and Tobio could breathe easier. Whatever came next, he didn't care for now.

"Iwa-chan!" It caught their attention immediately. Iwaizumi was somewhat relieved to be stopped from being observed and interrogated, but was immediately concerned when he saw what was really going on. Tobio reached out to his father to go with him.

Reporters surrounded him in seconds, but it did no good for Iwaizumi. Having them both there was better than just one.

"We don't have to explain anything," Oikawa snapped, once he had managed to gather the two by his side.

But they followed their own. The questions ranged from giving explanations, to asking Iwaizumi if he had forgiven him or if there would be a breakup. Oikawa, being the tallest, could more easily push them aside by holding Tobio well so that no journalist would hit him or speak to him directly.

"Tooru," Yumi's voice came from a car arriving just then. "Get on."

Oikawa grabbed Tobio so he could go faster, and holding Iwaizumi's hand tightly, he hurried to his sister's car. The doors closed and Yumi began to drive without hesitation, leaving behind the swarm of reporter wasps.

"Are you OK?" Oikawa asked, looking at Iwaizumi and caressing his son's back, who had clung to him. Iwaizumi nodded.

"Why were they yelling at Iwa-chan...?" muttered the boy, still overwhelmed.

"They are paparazzi, they just want to get into the lives of others. They shouldn't be listened to, and you don't have to talk to them. Iwa-chan either"

"Neither do you," said Iwaizumi, annoyed. "They had seen perfectly that I was with the kid, in what they were thinking?"

"They don't care," Yumi said, at the wheel. "You have already seen that by yourself..."

"And why did you come?" Iwaizumi said to Oikawa. "They almost climbed at your neck."

"Well, sorry for trying to get you out of there. You don't know how to handle that many people at the same time, nor less of that type. You would have ended up hitting someone"

"Why do I have to know how to talk to them?"

"You say it as if I wanted to."

"I warned you that they would be on you if you continued."

"Now I have to stop working because of you? Only you can do what you want and I should screw myself?"

"Boys," Yumi interrupted them dryly. The two fell silent the second after noticing Tobio's gaze on them. It wasn't the time for the little boy to witness his parents arguing.

Yumi drove home, deciding that it wasn't good for a reporter to follow her brother to hers. The two boys found no objection and Tobio calmed down completely as he recognized a safe environment.

"Takeru will come soon and you can play together, is that okay?" Yumi said to him and the boy smiled glad to be with his cousin. "I have to go, you can use the kitchen and eat a little. If you clean later, obviously."

"Sister, we know how to do these things, needless to say."

"The last time I remember, the tap didn't say the same thing. It was screaming in disgust"

"We were sixteen years old, you can't judge us!"

"At sixteen you can clean up too, you know?" Yumi sought her nephew. "Right, Tobio?"

"Yes," Tobio said automatically, without having heard the conversation.

"That's how I like it," she said, stroking his hair. "Well, it's time to go. See you later"

As Yumi left, Iwaizumi made something quick and they ate in silence. They were only interrupted by the odd questions from Tobio, who had already forgotten the previous event unlike his parents. The two boys were still tense and the previous discussion had ended abruptly. It wasn't all said, but they couldn't start throwing the furniture over themselves with the child in front. And Tobio, for the moment, didn't leave them.

After a few hours Takeru arrived, who was glad to find his uncle and cousin there. Tobio gave a small cry of joy when he saw him and threw himself into his arms so that he could pick him up and turn a little. The kid loved that the oldest, who was taller by age, carried him and played with him like that.

For Oikawa and Iwaizumi it was a grateful moment, because then the child would be distracted and they could talk a little alone.

"I still think you shouldn't have come," Iwaizumi started. "It could have been worse, if your sister didn't come."

"Iwa-chan, you were overwhelmed and Tobio-chan too. I didn't think of anything else"

"Yeah, but… I don't know, now it will make them more morbid to go after you. Be more careful"

"In the end, they'll forget me, you'll see. If I don't give them news, they'll leave me alone and go find others. Also, they are just reporters, I don't have to be afraid of them"

Iwaizumi wasn't entirely sure of that, he knew that being constantly watched and chased by someone like that was very stressful, and Oikawa had enough that Suzuki had appeared again.

He could only wait for her to forget about the matter and leave them alone.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your comments!

_"Uno!"_ he exclaimed, victorious.

"Uncle Kouta, don't cheat!" Hinata shouted, indignant. Bokuto raised a hand in peace and showed him the missing letter. "Well, take this one!"

And he threw a +4 card. Tobio grumbled a little, because that card went to him, not to Bokuto, in the order in which they went. Then he smiled and placed a letter identical to the one above on the pile. He and Hinata smiled at each other and looked at the cards to tell what the oldest had to do.

"Si… No, sev…. nine…? Eight!" They shouted at the same time and Bokuto screamed indignantly, while they laughed.

"Akaashi, these children are bad!" Akaashi, in response, clapped him on the shoulder while having a conversation on the phone. "This doesn't end like this… we will play Goose Game, and this time I will win!"

Poor Akaashi couldn't hear any of the conversation on the phone because the three children were making a lot of noise. More than once he caught their attention to lower their voices, but they immediately screamed again. And more when Bokuto fell in the square of death and had to return to the beginning of the board, and screamed out loud as he fell to the ground.

"Guys... please don't yell so much," he said again. "It's an important call."

"From the hospital?" Bokuto said, without moving from the ground. Akaashi nodded. For this time, Bokuto held back and didn't scream, he just let the kids jump on him and stay there.

"There seems to be good news," Keiji told them when the call ended. He approached the group and sat on the ground with them. Tobio dared to hug his arm and was very self-realized because the older man reciprocated the gesture. "Shouyou, they say Mommy can wake up soon."

"Mum can come home?!" the little boy exclaimed, jumping on top of Bokuto. He groaned and hugged him to sit still.

Bokuto, seeing that Tobio stayed too long with Akaashi, took him with him.

"Then she's okay?" He said at the same time.

"When she wakes up fully, they'll see how she is." Akaashi stroked his nephew's cheek. "Do you want to go see Mom?"

"Yes! Tobi, do you want to meet my mom?" Tobio nodded vigorously. "Let's go, Uncle Keiji!"

"Are you staying with Natsu?" Akaashi said, since the little girl was taking a nap and didn't want to wake her up. Bokuto puffed out his chest.

"The tangerine is all mine!"

Akaashi gave him a short kiss that left him dumbfounded, and he led the two children holding hands. Hinata jumped happy to see her mother one more time, even though she was asleep she liked to visit her. Tobio was a little nervous to know what his best friend's mother would be like. And, above all, he was curious to know ... what it was to have a mother.

They walked to the hospital, Akaashi led them to a private room where, on a bed, lay a woman with long dark curly hair, similar to Keiji's. Hinata detached himself from his uncle's hand and approached the bed.

"Hello, Mommy," he crooned, rubbing his nose on the woman's cheek. It was his way of pampering himself, now that she couldn't reciprocate. "I bring my friend, Tobi. Tobi, come say hi"  
Akaashi accompanied him a piece of the way, until he stayed by the bed. He remained leaning against the wall. Keiji looked at his sister closely, in case he saw those signs of awakening that the doctor had told him.

"G-good afternoon," Tobio greeted, snuggling up to Hinata near the woman. Tobio found it very strange that she didn't wake up, if she had people talking to her. "Does she sleep a lot?"

"Yes," said Hinata. "It's like the story, she doesn't wake up"

"Didn't they wake her up with a kiss?"

"I gave him one, Uncle Keiji too. But she does nothing... and Dad can't come. You know, he's in heaven with your grandfather. I have an idea! Why don't you try it, Tobi?"

Tobio shrugged, although he was somewhat shy. He was not very likely to kiss people he had just met. Nor did he give them to those he knew, just his father, Iwa-chan, and Hinata. And Akaashi, if Bokuto didn't push him out of the way.

Hinata pulled back a little but hooked behind his back to see what he was doing. Tobio gave a fleeting kiss to the woman's cheek. They both stared at her, until she frowned.

"Tobi! Tobi, Tobi, you woke her up! Are you a prince or something?" He shook him. Tobio didn't have time to answer him, because Hinata had already run towards his uncle. "Uncle Keiji, mom is waking up!"

Akaashi reached the bed in a second and pushed the children away a little. He leaned down and stroked his sister's cheek, who was moving very slowly.

"Hyoko...?" He murmured softly. "Do you hear me…?"

Hyoko groaned, still not waking up. Keiji continued to caress her, going through her hair and cheek, speaking to her to recognize or, at least, react to it.

"Mom," Hinata called out to her, and then her mother began to open her eyes.

"S... Shouyou...?" He murmured very slowly. Her son hugged her and she managed to wake up, showing her big brown eyes.

Keiji trembled and rested his head on his sister's shoulder, his body freed from enormous stress. Akaashi, with tears in his eyes, later announced the awakening of his sister and many professionala were coming and going to check on her. Hinata and Tobio had stayed outside, the first one was jumping with impatience to go to his mother to hug her and talk to her.

Shouyou had sworn to hear a cry, and if it was from his mother he wanted to help her anyway, but his uncle would not let him in.

"What's wrong with mom?" Asked every time someone left the room, but got no answer. Akaashi had to leave so that the boy did not raise his voice too high. "Uncle Keiji, is Mom okay?"

"She is sleeping, Shouyou."

"More?" Tobio said.

"She needs a lot of rest," Akaashi explained, sitting down for a moment. He also needed a moment of calm, and the children stood on his sides. "The doctors are with her, they say she is doing well. I will notify you when you can enter, but not now"

Hinata hugged his uncle and Tobio found himself doing the same. Akaashi looked exhausted and sad, and they wanted to comfort him. What the children didn't know was that Akaashi felt this way because his sister had found out about her husband. The fatal accident had not been compassionate to the man, and she had fallen into a coma without having time to know exactly what had happened.

At first, he didn't want to tell her so she could rest as much as she needed, but she was very insistent asking about him. She was desperately looking for him, as she began to recall the drive on a day of heavy rain. Akaashi hoped that, with the great weariness that he carried, Hyoko could rest without thinking more about it.

Akaashi got up again when a doctor called to speak to him. The two children closed the distance the oldest had left and held hands. Hinata had understood, but still wanted to see his mother.

"I hope they leave her soon, so you'll know her. She will like you! Mommy loves everyone."

"Hinata... what's it like having a mom?" Tobio said. For him, he had never had a mother and he had never found it strange that the other classmates had once. But his best friend had it, so he could ask him.

"My mom is super cool! She's always singing, and gives us many kisses and hugs, and she also knows a lot. She answers my questions, and I understand her more than the teachers. She reads me a story before going to sleep and she sings Natsu a very nice song... but I don't know what it's called. I'll ask her!"

"Ooh," Tobio exclaimed, impressed. A mom looked really good. "She looks like my dad. He also sings a lot! Iwa-chan has to shut him up sometimes, because when he sings very very high, he ends up screaming"

"Having an Iwa-chan also looks good," Hinata agreed excitedly. "Where do you get one?"

"I don't know, he was coming with Dad. And the moms?"

"Mine also came with Dad..."

"Dads are lucky!"

\-----------------Time skip-----------------

Oikawa stirred his coffee while his other hand refused to detach from the remote control. He passed the channels almost without looking at them, he only needed a few seconds of program to see if they were talking about the subject of interest: himself. Sometimes someone would drop a comment about it and Oikawa would listen carefully, but then he would switch to another channel. At least, he didn't dig into it because there wasn't much to show, and Oikawa could sigh in relief.

"You're going to go crazy, if you spend an hour and a half looking for channels that talk about you," Iwaizumi said, sitting next to him. Oikawa had been like this for two weeks and Hajime was beginning to worry.

"It's just to see what they invent now," the brunet defended himself, leaving the remote control on the table.

"If you give them attention, they will continue with the subject. Let them speak what they want, if they continue like this for a long time they will even tire their spectators.

"Don't worry, nothing's got into my head. It's just zapping"

Iwaizumi wasn't entirely convinced of that.

"Come on, turn it off" Oikawa agreed, he had already passed the routine inspection so there was no need to continue searching.

But, for some reason, his hand froze holding the remote. Something told him to pay attention to the "special guest on the show." And it was not going astray, because Naoko Suzuki appeared there, with a very splendid smile.

Oikawa froze, while she looked happy to be there. The collaborators of the program had their eyes full of that spark of evil that characterized them, ready to launch the most direct and personal questions.

"Close that," Iwaizumi warned, seeing the panorama. But Oikawa didn't respond.

"We are waiting to find an explanation." said the presenter. "And more of the protagonist of the photography."

 _"Thanks, it was time I could talk about it. I have only come to tell the truth"_ She spoke, Oikawa frowning.

 _"Is Oikawa Tooru unfaithful?"_ The first question was launched.

 _"Of course not! We have been together for years, and he has always loved me"_ Suzuki got a little shy. _"We're made for each other"_

"Disgusting," Iwaizumi muttered.

_"What about the man?"_

_"They don't go out together, did you see them as a couple?"_ Naoko insinuated, the collaborators agreed with her. Oikawa and Iwaizumi weren't very likely to show affection on the street, more at the initiative of Iwaizumi than not of the other. _"We haven't seen each other in a long time, my Tooru was studying in Tokyo. But he's back, and now we can take care of our child together"_

_"Are you saying that Oikawa's son is yours?"_

_"Who would it be tho? I am his mother, and soon we will be married"_ Naoko raised her hand and showed a ring.

 _T_ here was a stir on the set, she looked very happy with her actions. Some congratulated her, others asked more until they argued among themselves to see who was right.

Oikawa smashed the remote control against the wall, letting out a loud growl. By what right was his private life discussed? By what right had Naoko Suzuki gone to the show to talk about him? By what right did those idiots debate who was better without knowing anything? By what right had it been made public who Tobio's mother was?

Iwaizumi patted his back a little, to see his reaction. Oikawa was trembling and didn't know what to say exactly. But it was either that or he would burst into anger too. Oikawa stood up abruptly and reached for his mobile. He furiously dialled the screen and brought the phone to his ear.

"Tooru, my love!" Naoko's happy voice was heard. Oikawa had searched for one of the numbers she had called, knowing that the program was recorded and she would be available. "Have you seen me on television? I look so pretty, right?"

"What have you done, you miserable being?"

"They wanted answers, and I kindly gave them to them. What's wrong?"

"What's wrong?! When are you going to understand that I want you to leave me alone? You have no right to speak of Tobio-chan, least of all in front of cameras"

"He is my son, I can do whatever I want with him" His happy voice changed to a calmer, much more secure one.

"You didn't want him, why now?"

"I'll tell you, honey. You don't separate from him, do you? If the child knows me, then you will come to me too"

"Tobio is not going to want anything with you."

"You want to bet? I am sure you have not told him about me, if I do he will surely want to know me more. He seems like a curious child"

"Don't go near my son."

"Our son! Don't forget how children are made, you and I are united. And we will be more, soon"

"Never"

"I hope to see you soon, we have to talk about our future together. Goodbye, darling, and tell the boy that his mother is sending him regards˜" it was she who cut the call.

Oikawa was about to also stamp the phone against the wall, but Iwaizumi stopped it before the device suffered the same fate as the television remote control.

"Iwa-chan, this is going to be worse!" He exclaimed without bothering to keep his voice low. "What does she want!?"

"Don't panic, maybe..."

"There isn't a maybe! Now all those idiots know that she is his mother, they will talk to her because they are delighted that she answers them and she will mess everything up. What if someone tells Tobio-chan? He can't find out that way... And he's too little for us to explain now!"

"Tobio doesn't see those channels, it's easy to make him not hear those things."

"People talk, Iwa-chan. People like those scavengers will only spread rumors or, what is worse, what she says. And we know that Suzuki tells what she wants. And you Iwa-chan... I'm so sorry..."

"Why do you apologize?" Iwaizumi blinked confused and crossed his arms.

"If I hadn't drunk so much, I wouldn't have her stuck here…"

"Hey, don't say that," Iwaizumi faced him, Oikawa looked very overwhelmed. "Look, I'm not going to tell you that it was good for you to go overboard with alcohol, you precisely know what it can cause. Health aside, you were not to blame for anything. She was the one who took advantage"

"It was different before, Iwa-chan... Before, her harassment was limited to calls and following me. Now because of that, he thinks I belong to him or something. I don't know, Iwa-chan, we will never get rid of her... Or is there another possibility?"

"Let her talking as much as she wants, we know the truth. Our family and friends know that too, so no one outside this circle will have credibility. Tobio is with us, and we will not allow him to see her"

"Will this go well…?"

"I'm with him at school, I can watch if she doesn't come close. And be careful when you go to work, not to follow you and that" Iwaizumi caressed his cheek, also realizing that he was looking him in the eye. "Breathe."

Oikawa relaxed his shoulders while still looking at him. He leaned on his forehead, and matched his breathing with Iwaizumi's, so he could finally calm down a bit. The technique had worked for years, Oikawa had been able to relax in worse situations thanks to his partner.

He was lucky to have him by his side, because without him he would be a complete disaster.

\-----------time skip-----------

With a long, long sigh, Oikawa dropped onto the sofa, next to his partner. It was Saturday, and although he had already had to work on other weekends, it was heavier if it rained. The rains of March were tedious and Oikawa hated the rain, because his hair was a mess.

"Where's Tobio-chan?" He asked, snuggling up.

"Taking a nap, it won't be long before he wakes up. How did it go?"

"Apparently the mosquitoes also come out while it rains," Oikawa muttered resentfully. "I've seen a couple following me, but they haven't caught up with me."

"Bah, forget about it. I ask about your work"

"Oh sure!" Oikawa smiled slightly. "It's going well. On Monday I have to confirm if I go to Korea"

"You will, won't you? I mean, it's an incredible thing. And you can also act as second commentator! I wouldn't hesitate a second"

"I just don't know if I want to spend so much time away from home..."

"Don't worry, you'll even do well to relax yourself up a bit. Tobio and I will be fine"

"Mnmm, maybe I will accept it." Oikawa looked at his partner and then kissed him. He added, whispering: "How long do you say it takes Tobio-chan to wake up...?"

"W-well..." Iwaizumi turned red, and was speechless. Oikawa kissed him again, hugging him and lying on the sofa. "Y-you might ... n-need to change, right? Something more comfortable..."

"Can you take my clothes off?" Oikawa purred. While kissing him, he had trouble with the volume on the TV. He put the remote aside and threw himself on top of his boyfriend.

Iwaizumi received it with pleasure, they kissed again as they intertwined and caressed each other more and more eagerly. But they didn't get much more, because the doorbell rang. The two looked at each other, still, and kissed again ignoring the door. But on the third ring they had to be separated.

Iwaizumi fixed his shirt and got up to go open the door, while Oikawa sat on the sofa, as if nothing had happened.

"Good afternoon! ˜" voices were heard in the hall.

"Dad, mom..." Iwaizumi replied, somewhat surprised. "Have you already returned from your trip?"

"You are right!" answered the mother. "And we bring you gifts. Italy is a wonderful country."

"And being pre-retired is nice too, for the time you have" assured the father.

Hajime let his parents pass into the room, Oikawa had already gotten up recognizing the voices. He smiled at them and reciprocated the strong embrace of Mrs. Iwaizumi, who was also dragging her son.

"My boys," she said, squeezing them, and kissed each one on the cheek. "Or should I say men, you grow up so much."

With their voices, Tobio woke up and, seeing who they were, he hid behind a door. He always played to scare Mr. Iwaizumi, although the man knew perfectly well that he was hidden there.

"Well, and where will that little boy be?" he hummed, dramatizing. "I don't see him around here... is he hiding?"

Tobio laughed and stayed where he was. Masaru Iwaizumi approached the door, and the boy leaped towards him, holding on to his leg.

"Oh no, scary!" He exclaimed, Tobio laughed and asked to be picked up. The man did so, as he turned him in the air. Tobio screamed with joy.

"Be careful, you're going to make him dizzy," said Hajime.

"Of course not," his father said, continuing to play with the boy. "You loved that, too."

"How is your mother?" Mrs. Iwaizumi said to Oikawa, while her son and husband were with the child.

"I suppose she's fine," said the brunet, somewhat stark.

"Call her" the woman scolded him. "She will like it."

"She'll like it, because that's how she will blame me for a few more mistakes."

"Don't be so hard on her."

"She stops too, then"

"Don't be like that," she snapped, giving him a hard push. She allowed herself to scold him because, since Oikawa had spent a lot of time at her house, he was like another son. But she knew well who the brunet's mother was. "She will be delighted to see Tobio."

"Yes, so that later she can go away with the story that he doesn't have a mother," he replied. "She already did when he was a baby. She will also criticize me for my irresponsibility and poor ability to raise a child, and blah blah blah. Oh, and now adding the whole panorama that has been set up with paparazzi and others, I imagine that she will not receive me with a "What a joy it gives me to see you!"

Mrs. Iwaizumi's countenance ceased from being annoyed to contracting with concern.

"Are they still with that story?"

"Suzuki appears every week, they love having her as a guest. She amuses herself, selling her fictional story. Now sides are being created to see who is right and who the good guy in the film is"

"Do they harass you a lot?"

"Well, yes, but I can avoid them. I have been called a few times to attend such programs, and participate in I don't know what debate but I am not interested. I don't have to sell my life"

"Sure, but be careful. Showing pride is good up to a point, they may like your closed attitude even more than the open one"

"It may be, but neither from me nor from Iwa-chan are they going to get something," he assured her, convinced.

The woman smiled an affable smile, much like the one her son made.

"Good, and if you have any problems you already know that our house is yours.

It was Oikawa's turn to smile. He had heard that sentence a thousand times, and it included them both. She and Masaru had cared for and protected him as if they were his own parents and if it hadn't been for them and Iwa-chan, Oikawa knew he would be broke, at least emotionally.

So he knew he had someone more to count on.


	10. Chapter 10

Oikawa's dream was somewhat agitated, adding to the excessive heat of that night it was almost impossible to rest well. So he murmured complaining when he noticed the strong shaking, and continued to growl when it was more intense. He heard a childish laugh and he half-opened his eyes. His son was on the bed, smiling with a somewhat mischievous sparkle in his eyes. Iwaizumi was standing next to him with a cake.

"Happy Birthday Dad!" The boy shouted, and fell on him to hug him. Oikawa took a while to understand everything, though he hugged him immediately.

"I was waiting for you to wake up, but it seems someone is very happy to bring you the cake," Iwaizumi clarified, sitting on the bed.

"Can I blow out the candles with you?" Tobio was jumping excitedly, his father had to hug him again so that he didn't throw something on the process.

"Okay, you blow the 2 and I blow the 6, okay?" The little boy nodded in agreement, and the two of them took a deep breath and released it on top of the candles. Oikawa's went out quickly, Tobio's resisted.

At the third blow, Tobio became angry with the flame and wanted to slap it to make it go out at once, but his father caught his hand in time.

"Tobio-chan, you don't hit fire"

"It doesn't go off, Dad..."

"It is the function. We will blow the 2 together" he said, and Tobio's anger was gone. They both blew at once and the flame went out. Tobio clapped enthusiastically, it almost seemed like his own birthday.

"Let's go to the table," Iwaizumi said. "We don't eat in bed."

"Yes!" exclaimed the little boy. He jumped out of bed and ran into the living room.

"He's more excited than I am," said Oikawa. Iwaizumi leaned down to hug him and wish him happy birthday. Oikawa snuggled in. "Twenty-six years old, Iwa-chan, how old I am..."

"Get up, old man," Iwaizumi said, patting his back, but Oikawa clung to his neck. "You are aware that you weigh, right?"

"But you are very strong, come on, pamper me and take me to the living room."

Iwaizumi sighed, but wrapped his arms around his waist and tried to lift him up. He ended up losing his balance and falling on the bed. They both laughed and Iwaizumi didn't try anymore. He kissed him to encourage him to get up on his own.

"Iwa-chan!" Tobio was heard exclaiming. "The bakery is open!"

"What do you want the bakery for?" Oikawa asked, arriving at the living room and sitting at the table.

"Surprise!" his son replied impatiently.

"Okay, come on," Iwaizumi said. "We'll be back in a few minutes."

"Hey, what's this mystery about?"

"We've already told you, it's a surprise. Start the breakfast. Let's go, Tobio"

Tobio jumped for joy and clung to his hand. Before Oikawa could ask again, the two of them disappeared from home. He shrugged and ate a piece of cake, which he found to be quite good but somewhat melted with the July heat. Oikawa thought that today they could go to the municipal swimming pool, to cool off a little.

He carried the plate to the sink, thinking that perhaps the size of the cake was too little for the three of them. He sat down to wait for them to come back and find out what they were up to, or what they were going to buy. Then there was a knock on the door and, smiling, he went to open it. But the smile erased immediately.

"Happy birthday Tooru!"

"What are you doing here…?"

"I couldn't forget your special day." Suzuki smiled and reached out to hug him, but Oikawa was able to dodge her perfectly.

"I'd rather you forget it, actually."

"Why are you so cruel to me? Don't you love me anymore?"

"Let's make it clear here and now. I never loved you, nor do I do it now nor will I do it later"

"But, you liked it when…"

"I was drunk, that doesn't count."

"Of course it counts. Anyone could have taken advantage, but you did it with me and only me. No one else approached you, I saw it. It's destiny! In my car, you hugged me and kissed me..."

"Enough. Also, that has nothing to do with it. It was just... a big mistake. I have a partner, I love him and I am faithful to him"

Naoko snorted wryly and crossed her arms.

"That boy doesn't suit you."

"Are you going to tell me what suits me and what doesn't?"

"The life Iwaizumi wants is not yours, you should see for yourself." Oikawa frowned. "You want to be a star, see the world, and win prizes… What about him? He is just a school teacher. You can get so many more things than him, but Iwaizumi doesn't want to, right? It ties you up"

"That's not true, Iwa-chan supports me in everything I do."

"His level of expectations is pathetic, you aspire to something more. I wouldn't forbid you anything"

"You love making up stories in front of a camera. I don't"

"I don't believe you. Surely you would like to be the centre of attention, to be granted interviews, to be invited to events... You want and you can be famous! Come on, you are handsome and it wouldn't cost you anything to like people. This whole world is out there, and with Iwaizumi you won't be able to go. Iwaizumi does nothing but deprive you. I wouldn't, I would accompany you anywhere. We make a good couple!"

Oikawa was silent for a few seconds, then smirked and laughed heartily.

"So, from just harassing me for two years, you already think you can know everything about me. How funny" Oikawa kept the crooked smile. "You don't know anything, I've been with Iwa-chan all my life and I know perfectly well why I'm with him. Which I don't have to explain, you wouldn't make the effort to understand it either. But I will summarize it for you: you are nowhere near Iwa-chan's level"

"I don't want to be your enemy, Tooru," said Suzuki, abnormally serious. "You'll see that you'll be better with me."

"Is that a threat?" Oikawa was haughty.

"You will be with me," she said very sure, taking a step toward him. She looked him in the eye, and then turned and left.

Oikawa stood still. He knew that with someone like her it would take more than that to leave him alone, but he hoped his words had served some purpose. He was confident, he knew who to love and who to avoid, and that would never change. Nor would he change his love for Iwaizumi, that was something out of sight.

Iwa and Tobio arrived minutes later, Hajime carrying a wrapped package.

"What are you doing at the door?" Iwaizumi said. "We told you it was a surprise"

"You are right," Oikawa smiled. "I couldn't contain my excitement, I was waiting to see what you're up to."

"Sit down, dad!" Tobio said, leading him by the hand to the dining room. "We brought you something very delicious to eat."

"Freshly baked milk bread," Iwaizumi announced, unwrapping the package.

"How I love you!" Oikawa exclaimed, applauding. Then he kissed each one. Tobio sat on his legs, happy to have pleased his father. Iwaizumi, who sat next to him, took his hand.

Oikawa was at full glory.

Iwaizumi was the only one among all who knew him as he was, and who cared for and loved him more than anyone. He wasn't a fan who considered him super handsome, he saw him as the person he was: someone with fears, with dreams and just as breakable as another human being. Oikawa wouldn't find anyone like Iwaizumi, nor did he intend to.

He, together with Tobio, configured his family. So he was confident enough to ignore that girl and enjoy the company of his two favourite people.

How he was wrong later.

It wasn't until a few weeks later that he found himself trembling, his heart pounding and his hands crumpled the paper. It was not until a few weeks later that something was received as a dagger in the form of a letter.

It was a court appointment, for the custody of his son.

"No... no, no," he began to murmur. He dropped onto the sofa so he didn't have to fall on the floor. The blade wrinkled further, Oikawa sighed long and stood up again. "Iwa-chan... come."

As soon as he had Iwaizumi in front of him, he took him by the hand and led him into the room. He closed the door and showed him the letter. Iwaizumi didn't ask anything, just read what the brunet gave him right away.

"But this..."

"What you read. What is she looking for, now!?

"She's testing you..."

"She can't put the kid into this! If she want to obsess over me, do it, but don't involve Tobio-chan. He has nothing to do with this..."

"Neither do you," Iwaizumi assured him. "You don't owe her anything."

"Iwa-chan... I don't want my son to be taken from me..."

"They won't," Iwaizumi was serious, though inside he was on fire. "We have cared for him all this time, Tobio is happy here. We are his parents and he will be with us forever. No one will take him away from us"

"You are right, Iwa-chan..." Oikawa accompanied the words with a shake of his head. "She has everything to lose against us."

\--------------time skip --------------

It wasn't a good end of holidays, nor a good return to routine. Naoko Suzuki was giving them trouble, asking for full custody of the little boy, and Oikawa was unwilling to give in. So the matter would drag on long before an agreement was reached. Neither of them was willing to accept a middle ground: shared custody.

On the other hand, Suzuki had dropped the custody bomb on television, and the debate over who was good and who was bad had been spurred. Why didn't Oikawa let her see her son? Who should have Tobio? She almost always won, because 'a child needs his mother'.

Oikawa preferred not to pay attention. The matter was brought up through legal proceedings, not through angry debates on a television set. He had the right not to speak, despite the fact that Naoko became the victim.

Tobio didn't know anything about all this, although the little boy was already beginning to ask how much they did outside the home, why his father spent hours talking on the phone with a lawyer, why some teachers asked him how he was and why some parents of classmates class looked strange at their father.

Oikawa knew that he couldn't drag the matter out any longer, because they could ask for the boy's opinion sooner or later. If the poor boy were asked about his mother without even knowing that someone like that existed, it would be too shocking. Also, among so many issues and unknown people, Tobio would get anxious.

"Do you think we should tell him already...?" Oikawa said.

"He will find out sooner or later," Iwaizumi replied.

"What if he reacts badly...? What if he doesn't talk to me anymore!?"

"You are jumping to conclusions. If you tell him well and calmly, Tobio will understand, I am sure"

"Well... I had to deal with this anyway, didn't I?" I'll go tell him..."

Oikawa was nervous. That talk was going to come yes or yes, but he thought he would have more time. Tobio was about to be eight years old, he was still small to tell it. At the moment, he hadn't asked for a mother or anything like that, so Oikawa was a bit confident.

Tobio was in his room playing with the ball. He couldn't actually play inside home, but it was his secret. As soon as Oikawa entered the room, Tobio became nervous and knocked over a lamp. Father and son stared in silence for a few moments, Oikawa with a raised eyebrow. Tobio ran to put the lamp well and turned to his father, with a smile.

Oikawa was about to scold him, but he hadn't come to that. He needed reassurance, and he didn't want to create tension ahead of time. So he sighed and sat down on the bed.  
"Come on, Tobio-chan, I want to talk to you," he said, patting the bed. "I'm not going to scold you."

Tobio nodded and sat next to his father. Oikawa tapped his fingers against the mattress and looked at his son. Iwaizumi had stayed outside, in the hallway, in case he needed help but Oikawa intended to do this alone. He felt that it should be him and only he who explained it to him.

"Look... have you ever wondered if you have a mom?" Tobio looked at him without changing his expression.

"I don't have a mom," repeated the boy, who had it well assumed. "I have Iwa-chan"

"Everyone has a mother…"

"But not I," Tobio continued, well convinced.

"Yes, you too." The boy's calm face contracted in confusion. The boy had learned it, there was no objection. He never had one... and now they tell him he has a mother.

"But Iwa-chan...?"

"Iwa-chan is Iwa-chan. He'll with you forever" Oikawa, for the moment, was calm. Tobio was somewhat confused, but at least he wasn't suffering. "But a mother is not the same as a mom"

"It isn't?"

"No. You see... for a child to be born, there must be a father and a mother, but a mom and a dad is much more than that. You well know that sometimes a kid has a mom and a dad, or two dads like us, or two moms, or a single dad or a single mom... Sometimes they are with grandparents or uncles. That's a family, the three of us are"

"So..." Tobio pouted at the thought. "What I have…?"

"You have a mother" Oikawa waited a few moments. Tobio was thoughtful, trying to assume it.

For him, it made some sense. Hinata had explained what a mom was, and that didn't seem to agree with his father's words when referring to a mother. So it was logical.

"Surely you will see her soon," Oikawa continued, gaining his son's attention. "And some gentlemen will ask you questions. But if you don't want to answer them, you are free not to"

"What are they asking...?" He muttered somewhat scared, having to face an exam.

"They will be short, don't worry. They just want to know how you feel. Then we will go home"

"It's okay"

Oikawa smiled at him. Apparently Tobio took it well and could breathe easy. He hugged him and stroked his hair, Tobio snuggled in comfort. Oikawa cradled him a little, the boy laughing at his father's pampering. Tooru closed his eyes while Tobio played with a lock of hair.

"Oh, and..." he said, after a while. "You know you're prohibited from playing inside, young man."

\-----------time skip-----------

Tobio held on to Iwaizumi's clothes, who slowly cradled him. He was calmer now, resting his head on the older man's shoulder and almost fell asleep. It had been a busy day for the little boy, since he had spent hours in that building and had been asked questions that even he didn't know how to answer.

In the end, he ended up overwhelmed and Iwaizumi had to get him out of the room to get some air. Hajime didn't blame him at all, he also needed a bit of calm. Oikawa was still inside, and that couldn't reassure him. He didn't know what was going on in the room, if Tooru would need help or if Suzuki was out of line again.

Just as he thought about going in again, Oikawa came out. He sat next to him, dropping down. Iwaizumi saw him defeated, but when Tobio turned to him, Oikawa smiled at him as always and stroked his cheek. The boy curled up at his father's caress and closed his eyes.

"What did they say...?" Iwaizumi said, after a while. He was eager to know why Oikawa looked broken despite showing the usual fake smile. Iwa understood that the situation was overwhelming for him, but something else had happened.

"They gave us a choice, is that or... or nothing, really. Lawyers cannot negotiate anything more than that"

"Which is?"

"Suzuki will keep him on the weekends…"

Iwaizumi was silent. On the one hand, they had left him more time than her, on the other...

"I feel like we've lost, Iwa-chan."

Iwaizumi said nothing, because he felt it that way too. They both knew that Naoko didn't want the boy, didn't do it before, or does it now. She only did it to annoy them and they worried that the little one would be with her, even if it was only three days. Tobio had never lacked affection, and if she didn't want him they assumed that she wouldn't be very affectionate with him.

Suzuki left the courthouse a few minutes later, smiling cheekily at them. They both looked at her somewhat tense, Oikawa turned to Iwaizumi and Iwaizumi, sighing, got up. Tobio muttered a little at the movement and Iwa took him by the car. Oikawa got up at the same time, but stayed there.

"Does this amuse you?" he snapped without waiting any longer.

"Can be. I told you that we would see each other, and since we have a child in common... ˜"

"Listen to me," Oikawa took a few steps closer, more serious than ever. "If I find out that Tobio isn't receiving the necessary care, or if he tell me that he doesn't want to go with you, you will face me"

"Good, now you also threaten! I'm happy to play on the same terms, go ahead, you do well. It's not fun if you keep quiet"

"There comes a point where I don't care what you do, except if it involves Tobio. So be careful"

Without waiting for an answer from her, he turned, running a hand through his hair, and walked away. Seeing him arrive, Tobio raised his arms to carry him and Iwaizumi sat down in the driver's seat.  
Tobio took advantage of the few seconds it lasted in his father's arms until he put him in the car to raise his head and say goodbye to Naoko with his hand. But she didn't return the greeting.

The trip home was quiet to be one in which Oikawa was traveling. Usually, the brunet would sing even if it was five minutes to go to the supermarket, and seeing him so seriously Iwaizumi worried him. Oikawa being tense inside a car was cause for alarm. Oikawa hadn't shown fear when getting into a vehicle for a long time, but Iwaizumi knew that it wasn't a matter that could ever be forgotten. Adding to the discomfort that the meeting in the courthouse had left him, it was understandable that a car would stress him out again.

So Iwaizumi took him by the hand and deposited them in the gear change control, so that he could provide support while still driving. Oikawa, noticing, smiled at him. Not only did he feel safe like that, with the warmth of his partner, but he could also control the car, in part. That way, he made sure nothing would happen.

Iwaizumi held his hand firmly. He would not allow Tobio to suffer either, he was also worried about the days that he would have to spend with Suzuki and he hoped that, deep down, she wasn't so bad as to harm a child.

Because if she did, Oikawa wouldn't be the only one she would deal with.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapters might be a bit longer from now on! Thank you for reading!

For Tobio, it seemed the days were the same: he went to school, did his homework with his father, Iwa cooked something delicious for them and went to sleep. He didn't realize that on Friday afternoon, he would go with his mother. His habits might change, but he showed no concern.

Although maybe he was a little nervous, more because of going with someone he doesn't know than because he was his mother.

"Huh? So you have a mom?" Hinata said to him, when he mentioned it to him after classes. "Why did you ask me what one was like?"

"Mother," he pointed out, repeating his father's words. "I've had her for a few months"

"And you have to go to her house?" the redhead asked, Tobio nodded. "How is your mom?"

"I don't know, I spoke to her once and that's it."

"Um... are you nervous?" It seemed an obvious question, because Tobio was rocking nervously. "Come on, Tobi, a mom is great!"

"What if she doesn't like me...? Nobody likes me…"

"I like you, Tobi dummy."

"What name is that...?" but it didn't take long for him to move on to another topic when he saw Iwaizumi leave the room. For a moment, he had the instinct to go with him like they did every day.

"You don't come with me today, remember?" Iwaizumi had to say, stroking his hair. "Are you waiting for her here?"

Tobio nodded, releasing his clothes.

"See you on Sunday afternoon. If you want you have our telephone number written down. Do you remember how to call?" Tobio nodded again. In the past few days, his parents had taught him how to use the phone. "Good luck."

Iwaizumi kissed him on the forehead and left. Tobio returned to Hinata, who had already met Akaashi. Upon seeing him, Tobio bowed to him full of respect, which the older man returned, making him very happy.

"Don't you want to come to the park with us today?" he asked, although Keiji knew about the situation of the little boy.

"No. Mother doesn't know which park I go to, but yes the school. If I go, she won't see me"

"It’s okay" Akaashi analysed the scene. Tobio could wait there because there were teachers guarding the doors, so he wouldn't be alone. It was better that the little one didn't get off that street, because then nobody could watch him.

"Oh yeah!" Hinata exclaimed, who a few seconds before was looking for some candy in his uncle's pocket. He put a strawberry candy in his mouth and held out a lemon candy to his friend. "Mommy wants to meet you. When will you come again?"

"I don't know. I have to ask. At the weekend I am with mother. I don't think I can go after school, Dad and Iwa-chan always say they don't have time"

"You can come whenever you want," said Akaashi. "Don't worry. Well, little one, it's time to go. In winter the day is shorter and it is cold"

Shouyou, very obedient, took him by the hand and said goodbye to his friend. Tobio waited while he ate the candy. Occasionally he would raise his head to see if someone or a car was coming. But he didn't know if Naoko had a vehicle, and he wasn't sure he remembered her face well from the few times he'd seen her.

Still, Tobio was looking for her. He didn't like having to wait long for his parents to pick him up, nor did he like that the teachers left him sitting in the school office to if they took too long. When Iwaizumi left school late and he stayed in the library, he didn't like it either. He wanted to go home. So he crossed the street and stayed in a corner so that the teachers wouldn't see him standing there and put him inside the school. Believing himself successful, he smiled and stood still, waiting.

After a while, Tobio was bored. He was hopping here and there, following the tiles on the sidewalk. No one came. He glimpsed a bench near there and ran to it so that no one would take the seat. From there, if Naoko came she could see him and so he would rest a little.

But she still didn't come, the candy had long since run out because Tobio had a habit of biting them instead of letting them melt, and he no longer knew what to play against boredom.  
Suzuki was taking a long time, and it was getting dark.

"Hey, look over there..." said a voice. Tobio didn't pay attention.

"An Oikawa without Iwaizumi!"

Tobio was still looking down at the ground, while shifting his feet, when he heard a hiss. The boy raised his head and found two men, one with short, light hair and the other with curly and black hair. Tobio smiled at them recognizing them, they were Makki and Mattsun. At least, he wouldn't get bored of waiting.

"What are you doing all alone in a bench, boy?" Hanamaki asked, sitting next to him.

"Waiting for my mother."

Hanamaki and Matsukawa looked at each other for a moment, before refocusing on the boy.

"For how long?"

"Um..." Tobio didn't have a watch, and even if he did, he had trouble learning the hours. "I have left school and I have sat down to wait."

"Have you been an hour and a half here...?" Tobio shrugged. "Didn't she tell you how long was she going to take?

"No"

"Well," Makki crooned, getting up. "In that case, you come with us. We don't want you to catch a cold, do we?"

Tobio shook his head. Matsukawa lifted him from the bench and carry him, because the little boy liked his height.

"Mother isn't going to be angry?" asked Tobio, who had already understood how nervous and worried Iwa and his father became when they lost sight of him or he left their side.

"Eeeem…." Hanamaki didn't know what to say to him. If Suzuki hadn't shown up or warned that she would be late, he assumed that she wouldn't be angry if the boy disappeared from there. Otherwise, the little one wouldn't have been left alone on the street.

Matsukawa rocked him a little to get his attention.

"We are going to eat fries at McDonald’s," he said in response and Tobio smiled at him without concern.

For Tobio, Naoko wasn't a reference like Oikawa or Iwaizumi because he didn't know her. If he got lost in the supermarket, for example, he would cry because he couldn't find his parents. They were his safe zone, and if he got out of it he would panic. Not with Suzuki, that's why he wasn't scared because she didn't come.

Also, Makki and Mattsun were good company, and they always ordered a lot of food.

The two raised money and ordered the fries. Then they put them all to the sharing centre and took ten ketchup packets. Tobio was impressed. When he went out to dinner, he didn't ask for as much, but his stomach was a monster capable of eating all that.

Also, no one would scold him if he got dirty or ate quickly, since the two oldest were just as carefree as he was.

"Daddy screams if he gets stained with ketchup," said the little boy, as he pulled out a fry dipped in the sauce.

"Yes, and what about you?" Makki said, staining his cheek with a finger full of tomato. Tobio laughed and tossed the ketchup fry onto his forehead. He laughed more as Hanamaki removed the fry with a nod, acknowledging the move.

"I think more sauces are missing," Matsukawa reported, intending to get up.

"Not the mayonnaise, Matsukawa, they charge us! Ketchup is free. Life hack:" Makki said, tapping the boy's shoulder." You, what you see for free or a super offer, you buy without even looking. Then, if you don't like it, you give it to your neighbour"

Tobio nodded at the teacher's lesson. Then the three of them noticed the last fry on the table. Hanamaki and Matsukawa looked at each other seriously, Tobio looked at them with tears in his eyes.

"Makki, is he making the same crocodile tears that Oikawa made us?"

"He keeps doing them... Hey, come on, don't do that. You have the toy"

Tobio sobbed. The two boys sighed and let him eat the fry. Immediately afterward he stopped being sad and started playing with the toy. Makki and Mattsun put their heads together, to speak to each other.

"What do we do with him now? I don't know where that woman lives, nor that I want to know. Shall we call Oikawa...?"

"He must be working. Oh, I think it won't be long before he finish. Hey, Tobio" the one mentioned raised his head from the toy. "Do you want to go see your dad?"

"Yes!" he exclaimed happily.

"Okay, come on," Makki finished. "I don't know how to look after a child for more than three hours."

"Neither do I, if he breaks they'll bury us alive." Tobio raised his arms so that Matsukawa could carry him again, and Matsukawa diligently lifted him and put him on his shoulders, which the boy liked more.

The three went to the editorial offices where Oikawa worked. The two oldest knew that Oikawa couldn't do much in the face of this situation, because today it was Suzuki's turn to take charge of him. Although he wouldn't think twice about taking Tobio home, the law ruled that he couldn't do it because it could be considered up to kidnapping.

But what else could they do? They wouldn't leave the boy alone on the street again, waiting for Naoko to appear because they had already seen that this was not the case.

They waited about five minutes for Oikawa to finish his work.

"Hey, you, we're looking for the worst journalist around here!" Hanamaki called, seeing him about to leave.

"Makki!" Oikawa exclaimed, surprised to see him there. "Are you coming to pick me up from work? What a gentleman you are, Iwa-chan doesn't do these things!"

"Iwaizumi must be lying on the couch, he won't go out and I wouldn't either if I didn't have something to say." Makki became serious and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Your son was alone on the street and two dudes took him away."

Luckily, Oikawa had no time to react to that because Matsukawa approached with Tobio.

"Tobio-chan...?"

"We have gone to McDonald’s!" The little boy explained, running towards him. Oikawa, out of pure instinct, picked him up.

"What is he doing with you?" he said to the other two while his son hugged him.

"We found him near his school," Mattsun replied. "A certain person didn't come to pick him up, nor has she shown signs of doing so."

"I can't believe it..." the brunet muttered. "Keep him for a second."

Tobio returned to Matsukawa's arms, somewhat confused. His father left the building, pulling out his cell phone. It was strange… why didn't he play with him or ask him how the classes had gone, or about the afternoon with Makki and Mattsun?

"What are you doing?" Oikawa said, after dialling Suzuki's number.

"How good you ask! They just finished removing my makeup. I was on live three minutes ago."

"Did you leave the child on the street to go to a tv show?!"

"Oh. They called me on the last minute"

"He's your responsibility, you wanted the custody. Tobio can't be with me every day because you wanted it that way"

"Don't be mad, when I leave the studio I'll take him home, don't worry."

"With that mentality, Tobio would have spent hours outside. I told you I won't be permissive"

"But look, that way you've called me. Otherwise, you would have ignored me, you're so mean lately..."

"You...!" Oikawa didn't finish saying what it was because his two friends were approaching with the boy, it was better that he didn't learn insults to repeat.

"Dad, it's cold," announced the little boy, asking for warmth. Oikawa crossed an arm around the boy's shoulders and he clung to his leg.

"Leave the damn program and come get him. I can't stay with him any longer"

"Oh, oh, he's with you, huh? Do you know that I can sue you for kidnapping him?"

"What do you want?" Oikawa pulled the boy away and left him with Hanamaki and Matsukawa to take him away. Tobio, confused, went with them. His father was strange, he ignored him and didn't hug him. "You don't care about Tobio, why are you threatening with him?"

"I want you to be with me. I tried to get Iwaizumi out of the way, but there was no way. The only way for us to be together is the boy... If you're still so closed, I'll get full custody and you won't see him anymore. If you are with me, on the contrary, we can be all three. I'm ready to put up with the brat"

"Don't put a child into your obsessive plans."

"The later you accept that we are destined to be together, the less time you will have the little boy." Suzuki didn't give him time to respond. "Well, I'll send you my address and leave him there. I'm so excited, now you will know where I live!"

And she cut the call. Oikawa put a hand on the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes tight to calm himself. Right now, he wanted to run away from there and lock himself in his room, scream and even break something. But no, he straightens up and walks until he meets Makki and Mattsun. He smiled at them and Tobio approached him again to see if his father would pay attention to him now. Oikawa, this time, hugged him and lifted him up.

"We're leaving now," he told him. Tobio leaned on his shoulder, happy that his father would give him attention again. Oikawa looked at the two boys, thanking them for being with him, and they patted him on the shoulder and left them alone.

He sat his son in the car and started driving. Tobio looked very happy, telling him things and laughing. Tooru was grateful that Makki and Mattsun had been with him, because the little one seemed to have not noticed anything. But how much more can he keep him in that ignorance?

Oikawa was concerned. If Suzuki followed that plan, Tobio would end badly in the end. He didn't want his son to feel such rejection from someone who was supposed to take care of him...  
Wait.

Is this how he looked like when at first he didn't want to know anything about Tobio?

His heart skipped a beat as a car passed him. He glanced at his son and found him casually telling him something. Oikawa sighed, but his hands kept tightly on the wheel.

He parked in a suburb, and they sat on a bench in front of a row of houses. Oikawa, somewhat sulking, wiped the boy's cheek after finding traces of ketchup, and then opened his jacket so that Tobio snuggled against his chest so that it could be closed over him, sheltering him. In this way, he had already deformed several jackets, but he continued to do so.

"Tooru, here you are!"

"Why does it surprise you?" he snapped, lowering the boy and getting up later.

"Hello," Tobio greeted, but for Suzuki it was as if he didn't exist. She was tugging on his father's arm to get him into the house.

Oikawa shook off her and stood next to his son. He had an enormous desire to take him and run away from there. Oikawa had the impression that he was leaving the boy into the lion's den, and he was afraid of the moment when the door closed and he couldn't see him anymore.

"You can come in and stay forever," Suzuki offered.

"If I call, it will be to speak directly to my son. I don't want excuses" Oikawa warned. He looked at his son, who was watching them closely. "Go, Tobio-chan. See you on Sunday"

"Goodbye, dad!" exclaimed the little one, waving his hand.

Oikawa sighed as Tobio stepped into the house. He was holding his breath, his son looked happy to be there as if he were on an school trip. He hoped he was wrong and thought it would be okay.

Tobio looked closely at the house. It was small, but it didn't bother him. He had lived in an even smaller apartment, so it seemed like a good size. He looked at Naoko, but she had gone her own way. Tobio wasn't disturbed by it, because he was too excited to discover his surroundings. For him, it was just as exciting as when he stayed at Hinata's house to sleep, or went on a trip with the school.  
"Do I have a room?" He asked when he saw her, anxious to see where he would sleep.

"Go wherever you want, as long as I don't find you in the middle," she snapped back. She approached him, raised his chin with a bit of abruptness and, after looking intently at him, added: "You don't look like him..."

Tobio was used to being said that he didn't look like his father. People used to say, surprised, things like 'He is your son? He doesn't look anything like you!' Now his mother's tone was of pure rejection.

Was it so bad not to look like him?

Suzuki let him be and he sat on the couch, hugging his backpack. It wasn't very comfortable, but it didn't matter. There wasn't much to do in that house: there were no toys and the remote control was placed on a very high shelf, he couldn't reach the device. So he played with his feet a little, swinging them, sang a song, and finally fell asleep.

He woke up shortly after, from hunger. He had eaten only fries with ketchup, and that wasn't worth a full dinner. Tobio woke up somewhat confused. For a moment, he didn't recognize where he was: normally, if he fell asleep on the sofa, he would wake up later in his bed. In his bedroom…

But he wasn't at home. Nor was his father or Iwaizumi to take him to a more comfortable place. Tobio climbed down from the sofa and headed down the hall, looking for Naoko. He found her in her room, but the boy didn't enter because the woman blocked his path.

"Mo…"

"Don't even think about it," she cut him off.

"And how…?"

"Better not talk to me, as if you weren't here."

"But I'm hungry..."

"Do what you want, but don't let me see you."

Then the boy did shut up. He stared at her, because until now no one had spoken to him that way. Yes, there were children who avoided him, but even they were warmer than her. Suzuki waved at him and the little boy stepped back so that the door to the room closed.

Tobio ducked his head and walked down the hall, shuffling. Neither Oikawa nor Iwaizumi would have answered him that way, and that was quite shocking for the little boy.

Also, he had no idea of taking care of himself. If he asked for food, they gave it to him or explained that now wasn't the time. What could an eight-year-old boy who can't cook do? He doesn't even know where the food comes from, he has only seen that his parents would have the fridge and took it out.

Oh wait. Maybe it would appear like that to him too?

Tobio went to the fridge. He was a child and most of the height was taken by the freezer so he had to look on the first shelf, where the arms reached.

Milk!

The boy smiled. He reached out and took out the milk carton. He smiled, he had gotten food by himself. He uncapped it and drank it all.

Later, Tobio didn't understand what had happened to find himself so ill. He was curled up on the couch, hugging his backpack. His tummy ached. He had drunk too much, and now it was taking its toll. It wasn't the first time that it happened to him, because Tobio used to eat very fast sometimes, but at least his parents spoiled him when he was sick. Suzuki crossed the room a couple of times, but didn't even look at him.

"I-I feel bad..." he muttered when he saw her, but was ignored. “It hurt…"

Tobio started crying, holding on to the backpack. It was nothing serious, but he wanted more than ever to be listened to, for his father to come and kiss him on the face, or for Iwa-chan to hug him for hours and hours until he felt better. He was feeling sick, he was in an unknown house with someone who didn't want him there.

"Dad... Iwa-chan..." he was saying, between tears. But they didn't come. There nobody paid attention to him, nobody was for him, nobody played with him or spoke to him...

What place was that?

\-----------Time skip-----------

Tooru suddenly woke up, screaming. His sleep had never been stable for a long time, but now he was starting to be awakened by horrible nightmares again. All with the same origin, the one that still haunted him when he closed his eyes.

He put a hand to his chest, trying to calm his heartbeat. With the other, he wiped his sweaty forehead. But he was still shaking, so it was no use. If he couldn't calm down, he would end up waking Iwaizumi. And he had already accompanied him on his bad nights countless times, and Oikawa felt that, for once, Hajime deserved some rest.

But he felt a hand caress him from hip to hip, passing through his stomach and staying like a hug. Iwaizumi was half awake, half asleep, but he had heard him.

"What happens…?" He murmured, between opening his eyes. Oikawa groaned and threw himself into his arms.

"Nightmare..." he whispered.

"It's been a long time since you had them," he replied, wrapping his arms around him.

"At least, they didn't wake me up..." Oikawa looked at him, now Iwaizumi had fully opened his eyes. He was still overwhelmed, and at times his breathing became more agitated although he tried to control it.

"Do you remember what we used to do?" Iwaizumi started stroking him. "Repeat with me: it was a nightmare"

"A nightmare…"

"You are at home"

"I'm home…"

"You're not alone"

"No... I'm not alone," Oikawa whispered, closing his eyes.

"You are safe here." Oikawa sighed.

"I am safe"

Oikawa stood still, eyes closed, enjoying the warmth that his partner exuded. Iwaizumi might be a bit rough, but when Tooru needed him he was really very careful. Only he could calm him. Hajime stroked his hair, playing with the curls.

"I'm sorry I woke you up," said the brunet, after a while.

"Don't worry, I told you could do it when you had those nightmares. Also, these days you have been quite overwhelmed"

"Yes... Not a day has passed, but I miss Tobio-chan." I don't know, knowing that he's not in his room overwhelms me"

"I know, it worries me too. But we can only hope he's okay. He will be, for sure. He's a good boy"

"Precisely…"

\---------Time skip---------

Tobio was a little pale in the morning. He no longer felt the congestion from the night before, but he didn't have much of an appetite. No one bothered to ask if he wanted breakfast either. What he felt was a strong longing to be home. Although there were nights when he missed his parents at school trips or in the summer camp, now it was even worse.

Where was his father singing in the morning? Where was Iwa-chan, who would laugh at at his recently woken up attitude? There was none of that, no laughter, no jokes...

He was still sitting on the couch when Suzuki approached him. Tobio was impressed, she was coming for him. And he got excited, maybe now she would listen to him or play with him.  
"Put your clothes well and wash your face. We'll be out in a few minutes.

Tobio smiled. They would go for a walk! He nodded vigorously, jumped out of the couch, and went to the bathroom. The boy was growing fast and was one of the tallest of his class, so he reached the tap on tiptoe, without a stool. He turned on the tap and washed his hands and eyes. Very happy, he waited for Naoko, swinging excitedly.

She was still very brief when she spoke to him, but Tobio was already doing well. At least she let him be by her side. Also, they got into a taxi. He had never travelled in a taxi! And it seemed extraordinary.

The most extraordinary thing came later. They were on a set of a television program and Tobio was somewhat overwhelmed by the lights and the people going here and there. However, he was impressed by cameras and other large gadgets.

"Here you are!" a man exclaimed. "Welcome dear. And you too, little one"

Tobio wanted to hide. The guy was quite tall and scary.

"Don't be nervous. Here you will be at home. Are you hungry? Surely we have something to eat" Tobio listened carefully. His appetite was returning at times. "Come"

They crossed a long hallway full of people. Tobio wanted to stay and look around, but if he stopped, he would lose sight of them. And being alone in that place was not something to long for. They arrived at a room where a couple of people combed the hair and put make up on Naoko while they gave Tobio some breakfast.

Tobio was happy. The woman who had given him breakfast was kind and spoke to him a little, which he was very grateful for. The boy wasn't grate at speaking, but having company after that bad night made him happy.

They accompanied him to a sink to wash a little the crumbs that were left of the cupcake that he had eaten, and he returned to the living room to have his hair combed for a second. His hair was fine and straight, so he didn't need much.

"He doesn't look like his father," he heard someone comment. "But he's cute, people will like to listen him."

"Well! Time to go out” another person announced. Tobio stayed by Suzuki's side, although she ignored him again. She was delighted to be there and to be the center of attention, so she didn't feel like focusing on anything else.

Tobio was quite oblivious to what they talked on set. He was still absorbed in the spaciousness of the room, the high ceiling, the lights, the cameras, the technicians... So he didn't pay attention to the conversation that was taking place next to him. He just looked away from things and focused on the others when asked directly.

"Come here, in front of the camera, to be seen," they indicated, with a false smile.

He got nervous. It was one thing to just be there and another was to have to speak. Talk to who? To the presenter? His mother? To the camera operator? They didn't give him directions, he didn't know what to do. But luckily, being a child, the speakers didn't take much importance.

"Well, Tobio, why don't you tell us about your dad?"

Tobio looked at the presenter. Talking about his father was easy for him, what's more, it was his main topic of conversation. If they asked him about himself, he wouldn't know how to answer. If they ask him something about class, neither. But he could talk about his father for hours and hours.

"He's fun," Tobio smiled, and heard someone in the distance say, 'Go on with that shot, he looks adorable'. "He makes a lot of jokes, and makes Iwa-chan angry. Annoying Iwa-chan is also fun"

"Do you get along with them, then?"

"Yes! Dad is very smart, they always tell him he does a good job and helps me with my homework. He know a lot of songs and each night tells me a different story. He has never repeated! I know this because I write them down, and then I read it aloud to Iwa-chan, to practice. He also organizes the best trips! He really likes to be outside. But, we don't do it much now because he doesn't have that much time..."

"Well, well. Very good" They interrupted him. It was one thing for them to want to listen his words and the other to have to stand the child talking for hours. Then, he smiled knowingly at Suzuki. "And with your mom?"

"Dad says she's not mom, its mother. Mom would be family, and she is not"

The entire set froze for a few minutes. Suzuki, next to Tobio, kept her lips tight.

"That's what I call manipulation," said a collaborator. "Oikawa is putting those ideas in the kid to distance him from his mother. It occurs in many couples in their situation"

"He does," Suzuki added, recovering. "He speaks badly about me to him, and then he is estranged. I hardly have a chance to talk to my son"

"That's uncalled for, who does that?"

"Separating a son from his mother..."

"And to think that we believed Oikawa Tooru was the ideal man."

"Dad is not bad," Tobio complained, frowning.

"You know he's always angry when he sees me," Suzuki said, stroking his hair. "And he tries to pass that discomfort on you. That's cruel"

Tobio didn't know what to answer. It seemed unreal that she was stroking him, so he couldn't react and defend his father. He soon thought that if Suzuki was stroking him, it was because she finally accepted him. He closed his eyes and allowed himself to be pampered a little, gaining the sensitivity of the public.

"I know I made a mistake, but I want to fix it by spending time with you. But your father is so hell-bend…" Tobio opened his eyes and looked at her. "But he won't separate us, okay?"

From that moment, Tobio totally disconnected. It still seemed strange to him, but his little mind was deluded to think that his mother did like him. With that, everything else around him was left behind. He hardly knew when the show ended, only when he was lifted from his seat and taken to the backstage.

Tobio sat in a plastic chair in the hallway while Naoko had her makeup removed. The boy was a little nervous because he kept passing busy people. Then a man sat down in the next chair and smiled at him. He was carrying a suitcase and an object covered by a tablecloth.

"Tobio Oikawa, right?" He said and Tobio looked at him, somewhat uneasy. "I've seen you on TV, do you love your father very much?"

"Yes"

"Then you can help me. How about you tell me more about him? That way I will know how much you love him."

"I don't know... I shouldn't talk to strangers..."

"Sure, and you're doing well. We will do something that we both will like: you tell me about yourself and your dad, and I make sure dad is not bad. Because he's not bad, right?"

"He's not!" exclaimed the little one, without a trace of doubt.

"You are a very good boy. I have something for you"

Immediately, the man passed him the object wrapped in the cloak. Tobio, very curious, left it on his legs and removed the garment.

It was a cage with two birds jumping and chirping. The plumage on their backs and wings were green, their faces were orange and their chest yellow. Tobio's eyes sparkled.

"For me?" He asked, excited, because he had never had pets despite insisting on it.

"Well of course! When your mom comes to her show on Saturdays, you and I will talk about your dad and the little birds. They are lovebirds, I have raised the species all my life so I can advise you. How about that?"

"Yes!" he exclaimed, hugging the cage.

Tobio left the recording studios very happy, holding the cage with the birds. At home, he put it down and opened the door. The lovebirds stayed inside, suspicious.

"Come on, get out," Tobio told them. "I don't like the house either, but at least I can walk. Go fly!"

But the two birds stared at him. Tobio crossed his arms and pouted.

"Very well, stay there." Offended, he went to the couch and curled up there.

Tobio fell asleep a few minutes later, but was awakened by the birds landing on him. The boy laughed and watched them fly across the room.

He was very proud of them when his father came for him on Sunday afternoon. Although Oikawa wasn't so amused to find animals to care for, because Tobio wanted to take them home.  
"But do you have to take them everywhere? They are going to get dizzy"

"They will always be with me!" exclaimed his happy son. Oikawa sighed.

"Okay, go put them in the car." Tobio smiled at him and ran to the vehicle. Oikawa stared at him for a while, he seemed very happy to have pets. Birds weren't much work, were they? He turned to the door, where Suzuki gazed at him enraptured. "I've seen the show, you know?"

"Oh, really? I knew you liked to see me"

"With what permission have you brought the child on television?"

"With mine"

"I'm the one who has the last word on it, you know that."

"No, not anymore. I am his mother and I have the right to do it. So that also applies in that I can do whatever I want"

"What language do I have to speak for you to understand?"

"It bothers you that you looked bad in television, right? Now you are the bad guy"

"Don't say foolishness. We'll see who laughs last"

Oikawa, haughty, turned and went to the car where his son was waiting for him.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ooooh boy its getting down for real

"I am here to criticize the judicial system, in a situation that I am sure has happened to more people," said Oikawa, with his best clothes on, his hair well groomed and with an elegant and polite demeanour. Beside him, the presenter was also well groomed.

It was a morning program, in which debates and current affairs were offered without shouting or insulting each other. A very different point of view than the one Naoko Suzuki used to have. Oikawa had a plan, and that is that if he spoke on a television network, within a program that was considered more cultured, his voice would be heard more than that of someone who only attends low-quality programs.

"You see, I spent all these years taking care of my son. I have educated and raised him, and he has never lacked for anything. It may seem that, being so young, people believe me that I am irresponsible and that I cannot give him a good home, but they are wrong. I have given everything for my son, and I will continue doing it. But the problem is, that doesn't count against a court case. The sentimental part is left aside. I thought that being a father would be enough reason for my son to stay with me"

"And it wasn't like that," said the presenter. "Why wasn't it enough? Was there a more compelling reason?"

"For them, yes. Suzuki is his mother, and that was enough. And I'm sure it has also happened the other way around. That a woman takes care of her son more than her life and the father of the child comes and takes him away from her. Why is this happening, I wonder? Because it doesn't matter that you love your child, what matters is that the other is their parent and has the right to decide just like you”

"Then, the problem would be that the judicial system sees no more than what is written on paper"

"Exactly. If there are both names on a birth certificate, nothing else counts. There is no more human reading in the case, otherwise it would be seen with whom the kid is better. Why is it that when you go through an adoption process, the family is tested and investigated to see if it is appropriate for the child? We want the best for him or her, don't we? Why then is the same not done with biological children? Doesn't a child's happiness count in that case?"

"We understand the point. Many times, in the case of domestic violence, the same judicial procedure has been seen in which, although the mother manages to denounce the aggressor, the children stay with him. But, in your specific case, why can't Naoko Suzuki be a good caregiver for the child?"

"You are right, my case does not go that far, so there would be no point in complaining about a situation of domestic aggression. What I have come to say is that my case can be seen as the basis of that judicial system, that from here on, worse problems can be reached. Speaking of my case, as you have asked me, I know what is best for my son because I have taken care of him all my life. Actually, I don't blame her for leaving him with me when he was born. I know perfectly well that she can be afraid, but now that she's back I don't see how my son can be fine with her if she hasn't given any indication that she wants to take care of him these days"

"How do you think she can harm him?"

"Well, first of all, by sharing custody I have the right to know what they are going to do on days when he is not with me. I have the right to know what they will eat, where they will sleep or where they will go if they leave home. The first few days I had no idea what my son was doing, and then I ran into him on a gossiping television show. I wouldn't have been mad if they had gone out to the park or to play and they hadn't told me, but she took him there behind my back. First, I find it horrible to take children to talk on television and less in that type of content. Second, I also have the power to decide whether the child goes or not. And I didn't have the opportunity to decide"

Iwaizumi saw it from the audience seats, although it had been very difficult for him to come. He absolutely didn't agree that Oikawa would be featured on a television show, however cultured it may be.  
He understood that Oikawa wanted to defend himself against Suzuki, because the situation was getting out of hand. Iwaizumi himself wanted to do something, too, but not that. It wasn't the right method, because he was doing the same as her: selling his story. And Oikawa wasn't seeing that.

"Could you stop growling, Iwa-chan?" Oikawa reproached him, at the end of his debate. "The interview went well, we spoke correctly. So ordinary people who don't watch Suzuki shows will see me"

"Oikawa... I told you I didn't like this idea at all. She's gotten you into her game, you can't afford to lower yourself to her level"

"It's not at her level. Suzuki doesn't understand otherwise, does her? It's like speaking the same language, but I use dictionaries and she uses Google translator"

"I know you feel helpless, I feel that way too. But everything will be resolved over time, if you lose patience you are finished. Right now, you've just entered a shark-infested sea. And with piranhas too!"

"I've been amazing right now, so that will do. Don't you understand, Iwa-chan? I give a better image, I have not insulted anyone but I have gotten into a social issue that many can reflect on and will support me"

"Yes, you did that with the homophobia article too, right?!"

"No, that is different."

"Well, I don't see the difference. That was horrible, I accept it. It was insulting, I accept it. But you are doing the same, you take your problem and make it public, so that people support you and feel better about yourself"

"Iwa-chan, don't say that. Thanks to me, many boys have the opportunity to be professional athletes without being judged. And now, I have given voice to many similar situations in which someone comes to take your child from you. What problem is there in raising awareness?"

"That you are selling your life, and ours by the way"

"Unlike Suzuki, I haven't put my son on television. What's more, I'll dig into it another day. She can't do what she wants just because she's his mother"

"You see?!" Iwaizumi was too upset. He sighed, trying to calm down but it was impossible. Something was burning very hot inside him. "You're doing the same as her. You will love appearing on television, you will end up responding to the paparazzi, you will go from program to program..."

"Iwa-chan, nothing happened. I can control it"

"You're going to sink by yourself, that's Suzuki's plan."

With that said, Iwaizumi left the building. Oikawa followed him trying to talk to him, to convince him that nothing bad would happen, but Iwaizumi was very upset and ignored him.

"Wait!" Someone exclaimed.

"Did you fight!?" Another said.

Paparazzi.

Oikawa knew that they had heard Iwaizumi arguing, so they were eager to know what had happened between the two of them. Hajime was already reaching the car, ready not to listen to anyone. Oikawa should do the same, ignore them he always did and go with his partner, but he didn't.

"No, we haven't fought." Seeing him paying attention to them, they crowded around him.

"We have heard the voices."

"Can he become violent?"

"No!" Oikawa said indignantly. He shouldn't play along, but he also didn't want them to take that image of his partner. "You see, he's just tense about my son. For him it is also his. He loves him very much and he only wants what is best for him. We have not fought, much less is violent"

Oikawa saw Iwaizumi angrily approaching to get him out of there, but he acted faster than him. He said goodbye to the journalists and approached his partner.

"Let's go home," he said, and kissed him before Iwaizumi could say anything. Iwaizumi was silent, because he was still too upset to accept a kiss. Oikawa took him by the hand, smiling at him, and led him to the car.

"What does that mean?" Iwaizumi said.

"Don't worry, I've already solved it."

"What did they ask you?"

"Nothing, they heard you and wanted to know why you were yelling at me."

"Did you say something to them!?"

"Stop screaming, don't you see that that's how you attract them? I have only arranged things, so that you don't look like someone who must control his tongue. Now, your image is safe under someone who only cares about his..."

"I don't give a damn about the image I give!" Iwaizumi shouted. He got into the car and slammed the door shut. Oikawa blinked, confused.

"Iwa-chan, don't be mad," he said through the window.

"Don't be mad!? First you sell your story and now you put me in it... You leave me out of this, in anonymity. And get in the car now, dammit. I want to leave before they come for more"

Oikawa sighed and went inside to sit in the passenger seat. Iwaizumi started driving, very tense with anger. Oikawa looked at him for a long time. He knew when Iwaizumi's anger lasted, so he understood that now would go a long way.

"Iwa-chan, listen..."

"Keep the explanation to yourself"

"I just didn't want you to be seen as violent, nothing more. You should thank me for them not going after us to see if you yell at me, and then use it against us"

"Against us? What counts is what happens in court, not in a television program. And paparazzi are television! There are neither pros nor cons here, only created by Suzuki. And now you too..."

"Come on, it's not that bad. I have not sold you, nor will I. You know it"

"No, I don't know!" He exclaimed, about to burst.

"I-Iwa-chan, please don't get like this while driving..."

Iwaizumi was dying to scream a little more, to satisfy his desire to complain about everything inside him, but Oikawa's voice had broken. He looked at him and saw him tense, clinging to the seat. He was scared. Fear that his anger would cause a fatal distraction at the wheel.

Hajime was unable to alleviate his annoyance, but didn't speak to him the whole way. His tension was building, but he kept his eyes on the road. Otherwise, Oikawa might panic and he didn't want that either.

When they got home, he got out of the car slamming the door. Oikawa stood for a few minutes without moving, trying to find a solution. Iwaizumi was still furious.

"Iwa-chan," he spoke to him when they entered their apartment. "Iwa-chan, don't ignore me"

Oikawa followed him around the house, to no avail. In the end, he got tired of being ignored and grabbed his arm to stop him from moving and look at his face. Iwaizumi shook off, but at least he stayed there.

"Yes I am ignoring you!" he told him.

"I know you're tense, okay? But I had to do something..." Oikawa was beginning to lose his nerve too.

"Yes. But not that"

"I know you don't like it. Me neither…"

"I don't believe that," Iwaizumi laughed. Oikawa raised an eyebrow. "If so, you would have refused to speak to those paparazzi. And much less would you have attended a television program. You care about your image! So you spoke to them. Because you didn't want someone like me to screw up the good attitude you had there..."

"Hey, don't go there!" Oikawa said, raising his voice. "I did it for you"

"I told you thousands of times that I didn't care what the press thought about us. Fuck them and their shitty articles! It didn't have to affect you. Neither you nor me"

"I'm sick of not being able to do anything! That woman is giving us hell and we just stand idly by"

"There will be another solution! You can't jump head over heels Oikawa, not like that. But you always do what you want. Why don't you listen to me for a second of your life?!"

"I've been doing it all this time! And what have we achieved? In the end, she will take my son away from me and I won't be able to do anything because of your stupid idea of not doing something!"

"Stupid?! Why don't you mature a little!?"

"Look who's talking, you're stirring the pot for nonsense."

"All right. If everything I do or say is nonsense, you will manage by yourself, you idiot"

Oikawa was going to keep replicating, but Iwaizumi turned his back on him and left. During the day, neither of them spoke to or looked at each other. Whenever they thought about apologizing, they remembered the argument and got more upset. So it was a circle that never ended.

Night came and Iwaizumi made himself a pillow and a blanket on the sofa. Oikawa looked at him as he did so, wondering if he should say something to him and have him sleep with him in bed. But he thought again that he was upset with Iwa too, so his desire immediately subsided.

But he wasn't used to sleeping alone. Even before dating, they had shared a room whenever possible. Oikawa had many bad nights, so Iwaizumi had comforted and helped him a lot. And now, the bed was empty...

He thought it wouldn't affect him, but it did. He needed to have someone next to him, Iwa-chan, ready to hug him. He plunged into a spiral of nightmares from which he couldn't escape alone, and found himself waking up several times with a cry. Every time he closed his eyes, he heard or saw something...

He thought he had gotten over it. That the horrible nights were gone and had only left a trail of unease. But every day he realized that nothing had changed.

"I-Iwa-chan... come back to bed..." he whispered, as he reached the living room. He knew that Iwaizumi wasn't sleeping. He walked over and sat next to him. "Iwa-chan..."

"I want to sleep..." Iwaizumi muttered, feigning annoyance. Deep down, he was worried about him.

"Come..." Oikawa leaned on his back. "I can't sleep…"

Iwaizumi sighed and turned to look at him. Oikawa looked terrified, something unusual for strange eyes. But Hajime had seen it too much, being the only one who had witnessed him in his most  
vulnerable moment.

Hajime spread his arms, without looking at him. He wanted to point out that even though he was going to help him, he was still angry. Oikawa lay down on the sofa and snuggled against him. He let out a long sigh and fell asleep. Iwaizumi was better than a pain reliever.

\---------------time skip----------------

In the following days, Iwaizumi was untouchable. That they slept together didn't mean that he had forgiven him, and Oikawa didn't lower the bar either.

When they were going to school, Tobio asked Iwaizumi what was wrong with them. Even he saw that his attitude was not a joke. Something serious was happening to them and Tobio was worried. Had they fight? Why?

"It's nothing," said Iwaizumi. The child shouldn't be brought into the middle of their argument.

Of course Tobio didn't stop insisting on it. Iwaizumi was lucky to leave him soon for his class, because that way he wouldn't have to face the boy's questions. But he wasn't spared from it after school.

"Iwa-chan," he heard, and couldn't help but tense up. It reminded him too much of Oikawa. "Why do you sleep on the sofa? Did the bed break?"

"Uh... Yes. That's right, it broke."

"I hope it gets fixed. I also sleep on the sofa, at mother's house, and it is uncomfortable"

"Wait, what?"

"Oh look!" he exclaimed suddenly, pointing at a bookstore. "The new volume came out! Can you buy it for me? Pleaaase..."

"Okay, go get it..." Iwaizumi replied, although the previous comment still left him uneasy.

Although his attention was completely diverted when he read the cover of a magazine. He read the following title: "The decline of Oikawa Tooru?" Iwaizumi frowned, wanting to rip the pages out of that magazine one by one, but his curiosity was stronger. They never tired of talking about him... What had they invented now?

He took the sample magazine and read through it. He knew he shouldn't, because his anger would increase, but he already had it in his hands. At first glance it was a short article, but it didn't mean that it was less harmful.

" _It seems that no one is saved from a couple's argument, and that is that reliable sources confirm that Oikawa Tooru is not going through his best moment. Is this the beginning of a possible breakup? Will he also be fighting for custody of his son this time, or maybe Iwaizumi Hajime is tired of being the third wheel? There are serious suspicions that he started the dispute. The question about who is the good here comes back to us… Is the situation itself, or is Oikawa the focus of all problems?”_

Iwaizumi almost screamed, but Tobio tugged on his jacket to get his attention. He had already selected the comic he wanted. Iwaizumi gave him money and the little boy was very excited to pay. While the employee showed him how the change was counted, Iwaizumi took the opportunity to try to calm down and not kick the shelf.

However, the anger grew and weighed like a stone. Iwaizumi was fed up and his patience had finally broken. When he got home, he took Oikawa by the arm and led him into the room.

"What is this?!" He exclaimed, he no longer had a filter to speak normally. Oikawa fixed his shirt sleeve, quite confused. He read the magazine. Yes, Iwaizumi had taken it without stopping to pay for it.

"This... It can't be," the brunet muttered.

"Have you told anyone...?"

"Of course not! How can you think that?" Oikawa shouted, who also didn't have much patience left.

"How the hell did they know?!"

"I don't know!" Tooru yelled nervously. "You said you didn't care about these posts..."

"Are you confessing?"

"No! I would never do that to you"

Iwaizumi bit his lip and put his hands to his head. He was very upset, and Oikawa understood that his fury went beyond a simple article. So he calmed down enough to try to find the problem.

"What's wrong, Iwa-chan? This goes beyond a magazine..." Iwaizumi looked away, but Oikawa approached, insisting. "Tell me what happens to you. Why are you attacking me like that?"

"I can't..." he whispered, his breathing was altering. The voice rose a little: "I can't take care of you all the fucking time, Oikawa..."

"Eh...?"

"I've been bailing you all my life... And, look, I don't care because I love you... but there comes a point that I can't do it anymore. I'm not made of stone, okay? There are situations that get out of hand... And that's one. I also feel helpless!"

"Iwa..."

"I don't know what to do. I don't know how to help you anymore. You just want more, and more, and more of everything. I can't follow you"

"But why don't you tell me these things...?"

"I can't. Every night you wake up screaming, or when you feel down, or when you cry... I just want to comfort you, because it also hurts. Who am I to complain?"

"Iwa-chan, don't say that... Y-you can tell me if you're bad..."

"I just forgot, you know...? I leave it aside. But it always comes back, and I drown... And I feel like I'm going to explode..."

"I-I didn't know you felt that way... You are so good and you always help me, and I didn't see... I didn't see any of that..."

"I need time for myself, Oikawa..."

"I will help you, Iwa-chan. Just tell me…"

"No, Oikawa... I need time alone."

"What…?" His voice broke completely, and showed the panic he felt. "No, Iwa-chan, please... We can fix it."

"I know, but now we won't get anything. Please give me time..."

Oikawa froze. There were no more masks to remove and cover. He was nervous, worried, sad, upset... and lost. He sobbed and Iwaizumi sighed deeply, desperate.  
Iwaizumi needed to breathe, since all his life he had taken care of Oikawa but nobody had protected him. He also needed support...

So, he gradually moved away from him and left the house to avoid having to see how his partner began to cry. As the door closed, Oikawa sobbed louder.

"Dad…?" His son's voice was heard in a whisper. Oikawa gasped and kept tense, trying not to make his crying so loud.

"Do you want pizza for dinner today...?" He said, trying to hide the fight that the boy had surely heard. His voice was still whining.

"Uh-huh..." replied the boy, clinging to a stuffed animal. His father closed the door to the room, and Tobio was left alone in the living room.

Tobio was scared. He had never presented an argument like that, much less seen his father break like that. For him, his father was invincible. For every child, an adult is a superhero, someone who doesn't get hurt or cry. Someone strong...

And now his father is crying.

And Iwa-chan is gone who knows where.

That was not his home... the home he has always loved.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is about to get intense, I warn you

How cold it was February, in the northern hemisphere. Not even with scarves, gloves and a good coat did one save themself from the icy wind. In addition, the heating had been damaged and they had to put stoves that, naturally, didn't reach everyone. Oikawa was wearing two pairs of socks because his feet were freezing, and he already had drunk two cup of coffees. Well, the first one was taken because he didn't sleep at night, but the other one was to warm up.

Today the newsroom was pretty empty, there was only active the secretariat and a couple of other colleagues. There wasn't a lot of homework to do, since the reporters had to wait for the articles, reports and interviews to arrive so they were quite scattered. But they stopped their work when the editor in chief called Oikawa.

"Hey..." he started to say. "Don't you think you would be calmer at home?"

"Today is Wednesday, I have to be here."

"Yeah... but, I don't know. You can do your work from there, and send it to me"

Oikawa was not stupid. It wasn't a gesture of kindness, but rather just the opposite. He was kicking him out of there, indirectly. He concluded that it was because of the journalists who followed him wherever he went, and who disturbed the work environment. Oikawa sighed.

"It's okay. And I want to tell you something" he took advantage. "I don't think I can go to Korea"

"And now you tell me this? Two weeks before... Come on, you're the best fit to do it"

"It's not that I don't want to, but I can't. It's not the best time and I have a son to take care of. You also have children, you must understand it"

"I get it, I get it. But you could also have warned in advance"

"Sorry. I promise that next year, I will deliver without fail"

"We'll see ... And now go home, you'll finish your work there"

"All right"

Oikawa got back into the winter cold as he left the building. Right now, he would want to be a bear and hibernate so he wouldn't have to go through that frozen hell. Also, his boss had put him in a bit of a bad mood. He wasn't making such a fuss, was he? Nor did it directly affect them at work...

But, what weighed most on him was, precisely, going home. He didn't want to spend hours and hours alone. Before, he did it because at home he was calm and then he could see his son and... his partner. But Iwaizumi had not been there for days, and having to endure that time knowing that he wouldn't come, made him nervous.

Tooru was sometimes understandable, if Iwaizumi needed time he would give it to him. But, other times, he felt a lot of rejection. Whose fault was that? His, for not asking, or Iwaizumi's for not talking? His head was in chaos, and precisely that discomfort added to his nightmares and he couldn't sleep without a pill.

Anyway, he managed to get a little distracted when he got home and got to work. The hours were less heavy like that, but it seemed that time was rushing at him. Another day wasted without doing something that really pleased him.

Much to his regret, now that he didn't have Iwaizumi by his side, he felt that everything was going against him. The days were very tiring, his son was sad and at school they had caught his attention because of his low grades, his work was annoying. He was no longer excited about going to games, interviewing players, and writing articles. His eagerness to play returned. His frustrated dreams blocked everything else.

Oikawa started playing volleyball as a child, but it wasn't until later that his hobby became a goal to follow. Not only because he liked it, but because while he was on the court, while he jumped, he set, he served... it was as if a medicine went through his whole body and mind and took him away from the hardest thing he had ever lived through. Death and pain were replaced by the emotion of playing...

That's why. That's why he was so frustrated. Because his defence mechanism was gone in seconds.

Then, he used a child-shaped shield. His son, now, was essential. Caring for him and loving him became a relentless defence, his memory was calm when he was with the little one. But there were days that Tobio wasn't home, and Oikawa missed him. Before, he had Iwaizumi to not explode by not having him in sight, but now...

Now he has nothing, and he feels like he's falling apart. And besides, there's a huge embarrassment furrowing his head. How can he break so easily? How can he depend so much on someone? And he reaches a more damaging conclusion: he is lost. He always has been since the fatal accident, but he never stopped to consider it.  
His phone snapped him out of those thoughts, causing him to jump slightly.

"Yumi…"

"Hello!" his sister's voice hummed. "Would you like to come to dinner today with Tobio?"

"We have been going all this week."

"Yes, but I can't leave you alone in front of the kitchen. You can't eat of microwave food every day, can you?"

"I will learn to cook."

"Sure, but in the meantime, come. The more we will be, the more we will laugh, right? Come on, I want to see you"

"Okay, okay" Now I'm going to... Uh, it's so late! I will go for Tobio-chan, and we will come."

Oikawa cut the call and left the house in a hurry. Being focused on work, the hours passed quickly and he was missing Tobio's ending of classes. Luckily, it was just five minutes later than usual, and the boy was not fidgety. He went to him and they hugged, then Oikawa could feel a little more relief.

"Today we are going to have dinner at your aunts' house again, what you think?"

"Cool!" Tobio exclaimed, raising his arms. Tobio was already growing enough to carry him in his arms the whole time, but Oikawa was willing to pamper him. Tobio smiled when he was loaded, and played a bit with his father's hair. "We did a little test..."

"And how did it go?" he asked, knowing that since the teachers had started giving the children exams, Tobio hadn't done very well.

"I don't like exams," he said in reply, leaning on his shoulder.

"I didn't like them either, but they have to be done," Oikawa laughed. "Now on the ground. I can't carry you all the way, you're already older"

The boy complained. As soon as he was on the ground, he clung to his hand. Tobio was very attached to his father but now he had been more affectionate than usual.

"Let's go," said Oikawa. Then, he looked up and saw Iwaizumi who, somewhat remote, was watching them. They spent long seconds like this. Then the two of them turned at the same time so they didn't have to see each other again.

Oikawa, head high, left the school with his son. Yes, he was alone without Iwaizumi, but he didn't want to make him see it. He didn't want to look defeated.

Tobio didn't see him, otherwise he would have run to Iwaizumi and insisted on going home together. Oikawa had told him that Iwa-chan would be away for a few days, but the little boy was getting tired. He loved his parents at home, as always, and neither of them did anything to fix it.

So even though the boy was almost crying out for pampering, he kept quiet without singing next to his father. Oikawa, seeing that he wasn't singing along with him, he stopped the song and watched him. He looked serious, despite being practically clinging to his arm.

"What's wrong, Tobio-chan? Don't you want to sing with me?"

"I want Iwa-chan," he blurted out without preamble, and Oikawa gasped.

"Honey, we've already discussed it." Iwa-chan will be away for a few days..."

"But I want him to come back..."

Oikawa didn't know what to answer. He wanted him too, but Iwaizumi had shown no sign of wanting to return yet. Just as he was about to say something to him, he noticed three people approaching him with cameras. Oikawa held his son by the hand and crossed the sidewalk but it was late, they were already following them.

"Oikawa! Where is Iwaizumi? Did you break up at last?" One shouted, and Oikawa ignored him although he quickened his pace. Tobio complained, starting to get nervous.

"Now that you're single, will you go back to your ex?"

Oikawa thought that these journalists were receiving military training or something similar, because they had reached him and were trying to bar his way. Oikawa pushed them aside as best he could, keeping Tobio hidden as much as he could, so that none of them could record him or ask him anything.

In the end, he had to carry him in his arms, so he could go faster. Tobio held tight to his neck, letting out a few sobs of fear from those people.

"Polls say he break up with you! Is it true? Is it because of the child?" Oikawa gave them a reproachful look, talking about it with the kid was present, but they liked that even more. "Does Naoko Suzuki know about that? Does Iwaizumi really want the little boy as his son?"

"Enough," he snapped, though he was dying to tell them a few more things. But he remembered that Iwaizumi would be very angry if he explained explanations about his life again, and he didn't want to spoil things anymore.

"Don't be violent, we are recording everything."

"Come on, tell us."

The one who ended the insistence was, surprisingly, Tobio.

The little boy growled in anger, because those guys were bothering his father and were also talking about Iwa-chan. Tobio, with a frown, raised his arms and slapped the camera carried by one of the journalists.

"Leave my dad alone!" he yelled at them. There was a time when the scene froze, and the ice broke with Oikawa's cry of panic as he saw the camera drop to the ground and chunks of it fell off.

"What have you done stupid brat?!" the journalist shouted. Then, he started pointing at Oikawa. "These cameras are worth a fortune, you are going to pay me!"

"So you thought," he snapped, once he had recovered from his fright. "For harassing me."

"But what did you say, asshole!?" The journalist grabbed him by the jacket and shook him hard. Tobio cried with fright, Oikawa had time to duck a second before the man's fist flew towards him. Oikawa pulled free and started running, holding his son tight. "Come here, you bastard! I'm going to blow your head to see if you think it’s fun!"

Oikawa didn't look back, but he knew he was chasing him. Not only because of the noise of his footsteps but also because of the insults he was given him. Tobio was hysterical and was digging his nails.

Luckily, Oikawa still had good reflexes and good stamina, so he managed to stay away from the guy. He turned a few corners and lost sight of him. However, he kept running.

"Yumi!" he screamed when he got to his sister's house. She was scared to see him so agitated and with the boy crying.

"What's wrong?!"

"They're following me!"

"What?! Who follows you?"

"Paparazzi! I heard him coming, I think he knows where I am" he said, passing Tobio over to her. Yumi hugged him trying to calm the cry of the little one. Immediately after, the journalist appeared around a corner.

"There you are!" Oikawa had time to enter Yumi and his son in the doorway of the house, before the journalist gave him a good hit.

Oikawa saw the stars and held his cheek. Luckily Hiroshi, his brother-in-law and Yumi's husband, arrived and separated them. Releasing a couple more insults, the journalist grumbled while going away.

"You're good?" Hiroshi asked.

"He hit me all over my precious face," Oikawa complained, still holding his cheek. Yumi grabbed him by the wrist and took him indoors. He was shaking, and Tobio had stayed behind the door, still crying.

"What happened…?" She asked, lowering his hand to see if there was a wound.

"They reached me on the way out of school, they started with their questions and Tobio slapped the camera. It broke, and he wanted to make me pay. He has chased me down the street"

"That's crazy!"

"Daddy!" Tobio screamed, running towards him. Oikawa hugged him tightly until the little boy calmed down. "S-sorry, daddy..."

"Don't apologize, little boy. Don't worry. Next time, we'll be more careful, okay?" Tobio nodded and Oikawa kissed him on the forehead. The boy reached out, pointing at his cheek. "It doesn't hurt, Dad is strong."

"Tobio," said Yumi. "Takeru is in his room, why don't you go play with him?"

The boy wiped his tears with his jersey sleeve and nodded. He left the room shuffling.

"My poor boy, they scared him too much," Oikawa complained. He winced in pain as his sister touched his face.

"It's swelling. Hiroshi, darling, bring ice please..." As the man went to the kitchen, Yumi sat her brother on the sofa. "Hey, that was overdoing it. You can report it, right?"

"And what good would it do? Surely, if I say that they were bothering me with the questions, they will jump with "freedom of press."

"What if that happens again...? If they follow you like that, if they chase you until you hit… What if they did the same to you when you were driving!?"

"Come on, Yumi, I am not the reincarnation of Princess Diana..."

But he was instantly silent when he saw the look his sister was giving him. He knew exactly what she was thinking.

"You really worry me. What would I do if something happened to you again...?"

Tooru was silent as Hiroshi passed him the ice wrapped in a cloth. He put it on his cheek. His sister had clung to his hand and was balding her nails, but she didn't complain. She also had every right to feel bad or to worry about him. He remembered her crying at his side when he woke up in the hospital, and after all, she too had lost her father.

"Tooru, please be careful..." he murmured. Like all Oikawa, Yumi was proud and her voice didn't falter at all. She was really worried.

"I will," he assured her. He raised an arm and his sister snuggled in, hugging him tightly.

"Have you talked to Hajime?"

"No... Sometimes I have the urge to write something to him or call him, but maybe with that I would be pushing him."

"Can be. Don't worry, he will come back. Also, I think that you will also do well to meditate. You've been very stressed, and you need a bit of calm to sort things out"

"Maybe yes, but I miss him... Now I notice things much more. I mean, the bad things... I feel how they look at me, how they murmur and rumble, Tobio-chan is sad..."

"Well, if one of those people says something bad to you, you tell me and I'll stop them. Like when you were seven years old, remember?"

"Yes," Oikawa laughed. "After that, Iwa-chan had a huge crush on you for a long time, did you know that?"

"Of course I knew, do you think you don't notice a child's crush? It was very cute. But, look, he fell in love with you"

"The Oikawa genes drive him crazy."

They both giggled a bit, though Tooru hoped that love hadn't faded.

"And what happens to Tobio? You said he is sad"

"Well, he misses Iwa-chan. And I think something else is wrong. Lately he is more affectionate than usual. Not that it bothers me at all, but it's like he's begging for my attention. That is to say, he had always looked for a way for me to listen to him and hug him, but never in that way. And it worries me"

"He'll miss you, too. It will be hard for him to see you separated too. And, also, with the mother what he has..."

"Ugh, don't tell me about her now."

"Okay, I have something to tell you, after all." Yumi separated from the hug to take him by the hands and look him in the eye. "I'm pregnant"

"What?!" Oikawa exclaimed. "Congratulations! That was long-awaited..."

"Yes, we preferred to wait until Takeru was older. But, well, we are separated by a few years and we got along well, so I don't see any problem. And I'm still young and pretty"

"You will always look pretty," her husband said, appearing in the living room. Yumi smirked and kissed him. "Dinner is ready, I'm going to warn the children."

As soon as the two boys left the room, Tobio ran into his father's arms. He had stopped crying and wasn't scared, but he was almost desperate to receive pampering from his father. Oikawa held him with one arm, because with the other hand he was holding the ice.

After dinner, the two were invited to sleep. They could use the sofa bed, and thus not have to go out for today. The two of them had been through a tense moment and didn't deserve to be home alone or to go outside at that time of night. Oikawa made the sofa bed with some sheets and blankets that his sister left for him and snuggled up with his son while they watched television.

Oikawa watched the movie, but didn't want to delve too deeply into it because it was a romantic comedy, and now he didn't want to see how the couple ends up getting married or kissing in the rain. He did liked those kinds of movies, but he watched them with Iwa-chan who always laugh at the cheesy scenes.

Tobio fell asleep at once, well at ease in his arms, but Oikawa was still awake. He was nervous because, apart from the pain in his cheek if he rested his head on the pillow, he didn't want his nightmares to return while he was in his sister's house.

At home, he had sometimes woken up his son and then felt bad about it. He didn't want to do the same there. But he ended up sleeping and, surprisingly, he didn't wake up screaming. He had had nightmares, but they weren't as chilling as the past days, and he supposed it was because he was holding his son.

Having company had always been good for him.

\-------time skip ----------

The following week was not much better, let's say. Apparently, most journalists defended their partner, leaving Oikawa as impulsive. Others, on the other hand, commented on the bruise that had struck his face and speculated on what exactly had happened. It was an accident? Had someone assaulted him? Maybe someone he had recently fight with…?

"Clearly we are seeing Oikawa's true face. He is someone who gives problems, don't you see it that way? It may not be intentional, but it does. Little by little, we have seen that he's someone unstable. One day he treats journalists well and the other he breaks a camera for them. How does that affect his daily life? We have already seen that his partner left home, and we begin to understand why. What will happen to the child?"

Oikawa knew perfectly well who he was. Kiichiro Yamashita was the journalist who published short articles slandering him. It wasn't the first time that he did it. He groaned and the coffee cup fell from his hand, pouring the contents across the table. With a big sigh, he went to find a rag to clean up the mess.

Tobio appeared in the living room and clung to his father's leg when he returned with the rag.

"Tobio-chan, you're going to make me fall," he said, patting his head. Tobio pouted away from him and sat down in the next chair. His father cleared the table.

Ah, look, he's the bird man!" Tobio said, watching television.

"The bird man?" Oikawa asked, looking at him.

"Yes!" He exclaimed, and pointed to the cage of lovebirds that chirped good morning. "He knows a lot about Tim and Rebecca. He tells me how to feed them, take care of them..."

"Stop there," he ordered, and Tobio fell silent. "What do you mean? Do you know him?"

"Yes. Every Saturday when Mother is on her show, I talk to him"

"About what…?"

"He tells me about the little birds, and he hears me talk about you."

"I can't believe it," Oikawa snapped angrily. Tobio erased the smile, he thought his father would like someone to teach him about caring for animals. "Tobio-chan!"

"What…?"

"This man is bad! He just wanted to post bad things about me! What did you say exactly?!"

"N-not bad, he said it would make you not look bad..."

"It is exactly what he isn't doing!"

"B-but... he gave me the birds..." Tobio's voice faltered. His father looked very angry.

"It was a bribe. There are bad people, Tobio-chan, who take advantage of you. We told you thousands of times not to talk to anyone, let alone who asked for me"

Tobio began to cry. He was afraid to see him angry and afraid that he didn't love him anymore. That he was like his mother who pushed him aside. Oikawa deflated when he saw him cry, and although he was still upset, he hugged him right away. He sat him on his legs and Tobio clung to his neck.

"Tobio-chan... The world is full of bad people, and you must start learning to recognize them," he said, cradling him. "Don't speak to anyone who asks about me. Any stranger who does it, just wants to make money, although they come with gifts"

"I-I'm sorry, Dad..." the little boy sobbed, a little calmer because of his father's caresses.

"Don't cry anymore, darling." Oikawa caressed his cheeks, his son's eyes were bright with tears. "Just promise me it won't happen again"

Tobio nodded and snuggled back, hiding his face in his chest.

"Still angry…?" He muttered, still fearful.

"No," he assured him, kissing him on the head. "Now get up, you have to go to school"

Tobio complained and snuggled closer, and Oikawa laughed. It reminded him of when he was a baby and he held him in his arms to sleep, he also curled up like that when he was comfortable.

"Come on, Tobio-chan, do you want to be late?" His son agreed. Oikawa had to push him away and put him on the ground, but the boy quickly grabbed onto the coat he put on. "How cuddly you are."

"I just love you so much, Daddy..."

"Awww, my pretty boy," Oikawa crooned, hugging him and rubbing his cheek against the boy's. Tobio laughed and his father carried him in his arms. He had earned the pamper. Now that he was satisfied that his whim had been fulfilled, Tobio didn't complain about going to school.

At the end of classes, Tobio was dying to return to the arms of his father. And more today, it was Friday and then he had to go to his mother's house. He wanted to have his father's affection for as long as possible before leaving with her. But while he waited, he saw Iwaizumi and ran towards him to hug him.

Iwaizumi hugged him and played with him. Although he had wanted a waiting time for Oikawa, Hajime still loved the boy as if it were his own. Tobio was the happiest boy in the world right now.

"Iwa-chan, Iwa-chan!" he exclaimed once he managed to get into his arms. "When are you going to take me to training?"

Recently, Iwaizumi had managed to become the second coach of a high school team, and Tobio was eager to see older boys play.

"I don't know. I must ask permission for you to be there. Why the hurry?"

"Workouts here are boring! Surely it is better for the older..."

"Come on, yours isn't boring. You must learn the base and then level up"

"But I already know the base!" Tobio pouted. "They don't want to teach me more"

"All at once, don't rush ..."

There the conversation ended because Oikawa had appeared. Iwaizumi, with a serious face, left the boy on the ground to go with him. The two adults looked at each other, neither wanted to look away from the other.

"Hey..." Iwaizumi dared to say.

"Hey..." Oikawa repeated, in the same tone. "Tobio-chan, what are you doing?"

His son tried to push them closer, but he couldn't. When discovered, he stood up straight and smiled at him. Then an idea occurred to him and he took them by the hand.

"Let's go to the park to play!" He said excitedly. Oikawa looked at Iwaizumi, waiting for the answer that only he could give.

"Not now..." Iwaizumi said, somewhat embarrassed. "Maybe another day"

Iwaizumi looked Oikawa in the eyes, letting him know that "another day" was near. Tooru stood there, not knowing what to say or what to do. Could Iwa-chan come home soon?

"Let's go, Tobio-chan..." he finished saying. He and Iwaizumi looked at each other for the last time and Oikawa took him away.

Tobio pouted all the way. He was upset with the two of them, how hard was it to play with him? He wanted them to hug and apologize, as the teacher ordered him to do when he was fighting with a classmate. But there was no way… would he have to resort to ‘the get-along-shirt’?

"Tobio-chan, what's that face?"

"I want Iwa-chan to come back."

"He will do it soon, sweetheart... He will," he convinced himself. The previous conversation with Iwaizumi had given him hope.

They passed by their house first, so that Tobio could have a little snack and prepare the birds to take them away. Then they walked to Suzuki's house. Oikawa had not been in the mood for driving in a while, so he preferred to walk. As they got closer, Tobio became nervous.

"Tobio-chan, don't hold on so tight," Oikawa told him. "I can't walk well."

But the boy held on even tighter when they reached the door. Oikawa looked at him closely, he still didn't knock on the door. He crouched in front of the boy.

"What's wrong?" His son hugged him when he was at his height. "Tobio-chan, are you okay?"

"I don't want to go..." he murmured.

"We have already talked about that, you must go…"

"I want to stay with you, and with Iwa-chan..."

Oikawa didn't have time to think of an answer, because the door opened. Tooru hadn't called, so Suzuki had either heard them speak or seen out of one of the windows. She smiled, seeing him on the ground was like having him kneeling at her feet. Oikawa rose immediately, haughtily.

"Go on, honey," he said to his son, still looking her in the eye. He was angry. Well, he was always mad at her, but now even more. His son entered the house taking the cage. "You'll like to know that I have sued Kiichiro Yamashita."

"Who?" she played dumb.

"The journalist you let come up to my son. How could you leave him alone with someone unknown? You don't have a shred of common sense, he could have hurt him or..."

"Well, you see, he pays me to bring the boy. I will have to live on something"

"Not from your son! He has nothing to do with everything you've set up on your own. And you know that I will also sue you. I'm fed up, you haven't done anything for Tobio-chan and you haven't shown at any time want to take care of him. You leave him with anyone, with the risk that that entails, to go do your nonsense. It's over, Tobio-chan will be with me again"

"You won't do that... I want to be with you."

"Oh come on, you can't be foolish enough to think I'd be with you doing these things."

"It's the only thing I can think of!"

"I've heard enough. Now it is I who will take you to court, and we will see who loses" His threatening tone changed to a sweeter one. "See you on Sunday, Tobio-chan!"

"Goodbye dad!" The boy was heard from afar. The birds chirped, happy to be released.

"I know perfectly well that you would do the same..." Suzuki muttered, Oikawa stood still. "Having a child has destroyed the life you wanted, hasn't it? A child is like chronic pain"

"Speak no more, will you? It's the last week that I take him here" Oikawa blurted out. Then he turned and walked away from there.

Tobio was happy playing with the birds. So he forgot that he was at his mother's house for a while. He would see them fly and keep running, and laugh when they both started singing at the same time.

The bad thing was that the window was open, and one of the birds came out of it and stayed on the windowsill.

"Tim," Tobio exclaimed, annoyed. "Come in, or I'll have Rebecca peck you."

Tim was not for his nonsense, he wanted to see the outside.

"Come here," asked the boy, reaching out. But, just as he was almost reaching it, someone pushed him back and closed the window. "Oh no!"

"What did you say to your father!?" Suzuki yelled at him, very angry.

"Nothing..." the boy muttered, leaning back.

"You told him about Yamashita! You've ruined a good business, you know?! What else did you tell him?" Naoko gave him a push, Tobio stumbled and fell to the ground.

Tobio's eyes teared, but he pouted. He didn't want to cry, because he was angry. His mother was bad. She was one of the bad people his father talked about. Not only had she been mean to him, but to her father as well. He couldn't allow that, so he got up and groaned, his brow furrowed. The gesture had imitated him from Iwaizumi, but the high head was the same as his father's.

"Because of you, everything will go wrong," Suzuki growled at him. "Because of you there is no way to be with Tooru!"

"Daddy loves Iwa-chan!" Shouted the boy, clenching his fists. "And me too!"

"Shut up. You and that Iwaizumi have complicated everything. I wish you didn't exist, neither of us!"

Tobio was very offended. Not for him, but for Iwaizumi. No one, and repeat, no one, can mess with their parents. And that goes for both Oikawa and Iwaizumi. He stomped his foot and walked away from her. He went to the television, and threw it on the floor.

"Don't talk about Iwa-chan like that!" He added, leaving the woman frozen, watching the television broken. Little by little, she was reacting.

"You demon kid..." she growled, and seeing Tobio was furious, she started running down the hall.

Tobio went to the door, pretending to leave the house, but Suzuki arrived in time to bar his way. The boy, however, was agile and knew how to dodge his arms that wanted to catch him and he ran in the opposite direction, screaming in fear. He closed the cage door, with Rebecca inside, and carried it under the table along with a cordless phone.

He was a mess and had a hard time concentrating to dial the number. He had rarely called on the phone, and hoped he wasn't wrong. He made a barrier with the chairs while communicating so that Naoko would not enter.

"What do you wa...?" He began to listen to his father, sulking, thinking it would be Suzuki.

"Dad, come! She is very angry..."

"Tobio-chan...? What's wrong!?"

"I threw the TV because she messed with Iwa-chan..."

He did not report further, nor did Oikawa have time to say something to him because Naoko pushed the chairs aside and reached for him.

Oikawa had never run so much in his life. Tobio had sounded very scared, and his son wasn't someone who pretended that way. If Suzuki were to harm him, he vows to kill her right there.  
When he reached the door, he had to brake with his arms to avoid hitting it with the impulse. He rang the bell furiously, and also knocked on the door. He wasn't for jokes, much less to waste time.

"Open the door!" He yelled, but no one answered. He tried to look out the window for something, but the lights were out. There was no sign of Naoko, and his son's voice wasn't heard either. Only the chirping of a bird could be heard. "Tobio-chan!"

Nothing, there was nobody there. Oikawa screamed in frustration and pulled out his cell phone. With a trembling hand, he searched for Suzuki's number and waited for her to answer. It took too long, to be her, but she answered.

"Where's Tobio?!" he exclaimed, before she said anything.

"Tooru..."

"Answer back!"

"He's with me. I want to talk to you, okay? Without yelling at me or insulting me, or I am not responsible for what happens to the child..."

"At no time have you been responsible. Where are you?"

"I already told you not to speak to me in that tone."

"Where are you?" he repeated, with more emphasis. Still, he lowered his voice volume. His son was literally kidnapped and he had to be careful.

"I will send you the address. Come alone and calmly..."

Oikawa cut the call and bit down hard on his lip to keep from screaming in anxiety. He had to calm down, be strong so that his son was well… He put away his cell phone, arranged his clothes and left, following the direction they had sent him. Inside, he was dying, but outside he was calm when he reached his destination. He needed to have a clear mind, right now.

He was in front of a rather large and more decorated house than where he came from. It seemed that someone did live there permanently. He tried to listen carefully to hear his son, but from outside the silence was overwhelming. He sighed deeply and knocked on the door.

"Where's Tobio-chan?" He said quickly, when Suzuki opened the door.

"I want to talk to you before..."

"I want to see if he's okay. Did you do something to him?"

"No..." Suzuki's voice was low, as if there was a mixture of threat and fear at the same time. Oikawa dug his nails into the palm of his hand as he clenched his fist tightly, but nodded.

He followed her down the hall to the living room. Oikawa stopped attention and looked around. All the doors were closed, and he couldn't know where his son was. All that remained was to follow her and see what she has to say.

"Tooru..." he muttered. "Tooru, Tooru..."

"What?" He let out, annoyed.

"I just wanna be with you"

"Is that why you kidnap my son?"

"He got annoying and I panicked. And if he would have talked to you, I probably wouldn't see you again"

"Do you realize what you do...? You've put a child in danger just for wanting to be with me. Do you not have a bit of understanding?"

"It was the only way. You didn't listen to me, Iwaizumi was in the middle and I love you very, very much. I told you: having the child was having you too"

"You're hurting him, you know...? You don't love him, you don't do anything to take care of him in the least. He doesn't deserve this"

"What fault do I have? I didn't wanted him. I only had him in the hope of…" Naoko played with the sleeves of her jersey.

"Of what?"

"That he looked like you. If he had, at least, your eyes, I would have kept him. But I was not mistaken when I saw him, that child and you look so different"

"What nonsense are you saying? What difference does it make if he looks like me or not? The important thing is that he was your son..." he sighed. "Look. I'll be honest with you. I don't blame you for leaving him when he was born, you know? I almost did too... I would understand if you were afraid. For real. But now you're back and you're just making life difficult for him. He's only nine years old! I can't forgive that. No as a son, but as an innocent child."

Naoko looked at the ground, she looked serious. Oikawa wished he had understood or at least began to realize what she was doing.

"Naoko," he said by name, to get her attention. "We will never be together. You have done so much damage that in no other life will there be a possibility. From the first moment you started following and harassing me, you ended something that hadn't even started. I would never be with someone like that"

"From the first moment I saw you, I loved you..." she murmured at first, but she raised his voice as she spoke. "You were like a prince charming... You still are. I wanted to be the only one for you. Forever"

"You must admit it has gotten out of hand. I want to propose something to you"

"Marriage?" She exclaimed hopefully. Oikawa crossed his arms.

"No," he replied, somewhat annoyed. "I will not sue you if you leave us alone."

"Were you really going to sue me?"

"You have kidnapped my son, I have reason to do so. So if you leave us alone at once, I will too"

Suzuki looked him in the eye. Then she burst into tears and threw herself into his arms.

"I don't want to! I want to be with you. We're made for each other! If you are sad for Iwaizumi, don't worry because I will make you forget him. And I haven't touched your son at any time. Come on, please, don't go... I love you!"

She held on to the hug and tried to kiss him in every way, but Oikawa didn't give up. He caught her by the shoulders and jerked her away.

"I've made myself clear, Suzuki. If you are not going to collaborate..."

"Come on, the child can stay with you as long as you want! But don't leave me... I know you want me. Take me, do what you want ... I'm yours"

"For the last time, Suzuki... Either stop this by yourself, or I stop it."

"Come on, Tooru! Let's be together now and forever"

"I had enough."

Oikawa had tried to speak. He had tried to be mature, but he couldn't go on like that. Suzuki didn't understand anything and would never do so. Tooru walked away from her and started searching the house; opening the doors, pulling aside the curtains, looking behind furniture and under beds...

"Where is he?" He said, in a voice of thunder. He had a feeling he didn't like at all. "Where is Tobio?!"

Naoko swayed a little, pretending to be absent-minded. When Oikawa yelled at her again, he played around with the jersey sleeve a little more and looked at him.

"Not here…"

"Did you make me come all the way here for nothing? Where is he?"

"I don't know."

"I'm warning you..." Oikawa threatened, coming dangerously close.

"Look what your son did!" Angrily, she rolled up her sleeves and showed him an arm with a few bites and scratches. "That stupid kid kept screaming and teasing"

"Don't insult hin and tell me what you did to him..." he growled. Not even Oikawa himself knew about the existence of that tone of voice, so dark.

"I didn't do anything to him. I kicked him out of the house, I don't live with wild animals"

"I can't believe you! You left him alone on the street!? Go fuck yourself! How could I trust that you would listen...?" Oikawa screamed in anger and left the house. "Tobio-chan!"

Oikawa started screaming, calling out to him. If he was close, maybe he would listen and come... But what if he was scared? What if someone had taken him? Tooru was desperate, his chest threatened to explode and his lungs warned that he would run out of air. Even his throat had decided to fuck and hurt with every scream.

But none of that worked, Tobio didn't appear.

"Tobio-chan, it's Dad! Come!" Oikawa started walking up and down the street, waiting to see him somewhere. "Please come!"

Oikawa realized that he was just hanging around in the same place. He screamed again, this time out of despair. He had trusted too much, thinking that Suzuki would come to her senses. But no. No! She had abandoned him again, not caring about anything that might happen to him on the street.

His son, his little one, was alone. It was cold, he could hurt himself, or worse, someone could do something to him. Oikawa felt like dying just thinking about it, so he made a drastic decision. He took out his cell phone and dialed the number that was so well known by heart.

"Iwa-chan!" he exclaimed when he heard him answer the call. "Iwa-chan, please help me..."

"What's wrong!?" Iwaizumi asked, concerned. Iwa knew that Oikawa wasn't joking.

"Tobio-chan! Tobio-chan, he's not here!"

"What do you mean he's not here...?" Oikawa was a bundle of nerves, and some words weren't completely understood.

"Suzuki kidnapped him!" He sobbed. "I went to the house, talked to her. I-I tried, Iwa-chan, I tried to be mature and it didn't work... S-she kicked him out of the house. He is alone on the street, Iwa-chan. On the street! I can't find it, I can't see him anywhere..."

"What!?" Iwaizumi shouted. Iwaizumi was greatly concerned, as Tobio was like... no, he was his son, period.

"Come, please, come..."

"Send me the location of where you are, I'll be right back."

Oikawa allowed himself to shed a couple of tears when the call ended. He was close to succumbing to panic. If something happened to his little boy, his life would fall apart completely. There would be nothing left to hold together the broken pieces of what was left of him.

Iwaizumi arrived quickly, by car. With him were his parents who, surely, had found out as they would be with him at the time of the call. Oikawa really appreciated it, because that way there would be more eyes to look for Tobio.

"When did she kick him out?" Iwaizumi said.

"I-I don't know... When I arrived, he was no longer here..."

"Tell me everything…"

"There is no time, Iwa-chan!" He yelled hysterically. Iwaizumi looked at him, his eyes bright with concern. He took him by the hand and led him up the street.

"We will go around here, my parents will look in the opposite direction," he said at the same time. Oikawa nodded, holding on to his hand. Right now, he had found a huge support to stay on his feet.

Oikawa and Iwaizumi walked down the street parallel to the house. They kept calling the boy, but he didn't show up or answer them. Iwaizumi was also succumbing to despair.

"We will separate..." he said, although he didn't want to get away from Oikawa. "Follow that street, I'll go for another. Call me if you find him…"

"O-okay... Call me too."

The two looked into each other's eyes, both trembling with nerves. Oikawa saw his fear, Iwaizumi saw his. So they clasped their hands together tightly, giving each other strength. It was their son they were looking for, and they both wanted him back.

Oikawa ran across the street to get to the corner as soon as possible, thus saving time. Iwaizumi stayed around the area a bit longer. Then, Oikawa screamed. Iwaizumi didn't know exactly what was going on, but Tobio's slightest index would be enough to get him to him.

"Iwa-chan, there!" Oikawa pointed out, but from where Iwaizumi was, he couldn't see anything. Hajime ran towards it, but Oikawa did so in turn around the corner. "Tobio-chan, wait!"

Iwaizumi saw for seconds the little boy disappear in the next corner, and Oikawa ran after him.

"Tobio-chan!" Oikawa shouted, but his son didn't listen to him.

It seems unheard of, doesn't it? That with so much shouting, the little one didn't react and went straight towards them. But Tobio was scared, very scared, and he cried disoriented. He didn't know where he was, didn't recognize any house, tree or street. He didn't pay attention to the screaming, because it scared him even more.

"Tobio-chan, don't cross the street!"

This time, the tone of voice became familiar to him. It was pure fear, and Oikawa could swear that after that, he would never be able to speak normally again. The first time he used it, he was ten years old and his father was dead. The second time he got out because he saw the car fast approaching and the boy crossing the street at the same time.

Hopefully Oikawa ran. Hopefully, he arrived in time to throw himself and cover the boy with his own body.

Hopefully, the driver stopped in time.

With bad luck, Oikawa remembered again. The lights, the screeching of the brakes, the crying… He didn't hear the driver, who had got out of the car right away, wanting to make sure they were okay. He only clung tightly to his son, who in turn was so attached to his father that he seemed to be born from his skin. Tobio was crying, Oikawa was in shock.

Iwaizumi arrived and hugged the two of them, relieved to find them and worried to see them in front of a car.

"S-sorry, I didn't see the boy," said the driver, very nervous. "Are they fine? Did they get hurt?"

"I think they are fine," Iwaizumi assured him. "Oikawa…"

Oikawa winced, as if waking up. He looked at him, snuggled up and started hyperventilating.

"Easy... You are fine, you are fine. Oikawa, listen to me..." Hajime said to him. "You're good…"

"I-Iwa-chan... Tobio-chan..." he murmured. Tobio was still crying.

"Tobio is fine... You are holding him," he forced Oikawa to separate and look at his son. As soon as the little boy and the father looked at each other, the two stopped crying. Tobio was still trembling and Oikawa was shaking too, but at least they were starting to come back to reality.

"Dad..." Tobio murmured.

"My boy... my poor boy," he murmured, then kissed his cheeks. "You're good…?"

Tobio nodded slightly and looked at Iwaizumi. He stroked his hair, and that just calmed him down. He had his two parents with him, now he was safe.

"Sorry..." said the driver, seeing that he could be spoken to.

"I-it doesn't matter... You braked, it's what counts" Oikawa tried to get up but gasped in pain, his ankle hurt a lot.

Hajime's parents arrived, and they stayed with Tobio while their son stayed with Oikawa, seeing if something was broken. Hopefully it seemed to be a bad gesture so Iwaizumi and the driver helped him to his feet. Oikawa walked a little lame, but there was indeed no injury.

They pulled away from the road and the driver parked the car. He didn't want to leave there yet, he felt responsible for it so he would stay in case they needed him.

Oikawa, as soon as he had risen, fell again. But, mentally speaking. He felt exhausted, his chest still ached and he was slightly dizzy. He had to sit on a bench and Iwaizumi kept close. Oikawa had experienced quite strong emotions and now felt his weight. Iwa understood, so he sat next to him and took his hand, silently.

"Tobio-chan called me, shortly after I'd dropped him off at Suzuki's. He was scared, he said he had made her angry because he threw her television. Tobio-chan said he did it because she had messed with you"

Iwaizumi didn't answer, just merely stroked his hand.

"The call ended. I went as fast as I could, but they weren't there anymore. I called her and she said she wanted to see me. I agreed, for Tobio-chan... I tried... I tried to talk to her, civilly" he explained. "I told her I wouldn't report her if she left us alone, but I can't ignore this, Iwa-chan."

"If it were up to me, I'd break her neck. But, we will continue to be civilized. My parents are calling the police, this time she's not going to get away with it"

Oikawa nodded and sighed. He leaned back against the bench and closed his eyes.

"If I missed by just one second, Tobio-chan..."

"Don't think about that. What counts is that Tobio is fine, he is with us safe" Iwaizumi murmured, because the image of the car millimetres from Oikawa and Tobio was still too recent and, above all, hurtful. “You’re good?"

Oikawa opened his eyes and looked at him. He was calmer, that's true, but he felt cold. He had already lost someone he love to a car, thinking that it might have happened to another loved one still made him shiver.

"You know, Iwa-chan...?" he said, murmuring and still looking at him. "I never understood... If my father hadn't covered me, he would still be alive now. We both would be, I wasn't in as much danger. And, for many years, I thought my father was stupid... But now, it's different, Iwa-chan... I thought of nothing else to protect Tobio, even though he could have hit us completely. There was no other option than that, for me. Now I understand my father... I prefer to die, before something happens to my son..."

Iwaizumi sighed, almost gasping, and hugged him tightly. Oikawa reciprocated with the same intensity, it came perfect to feel his warmth. Being able to touch him, caress him, and even smell his scent made his chest deflate. It didn't hurt that much anymore.

They were interrupted after a while. Iwaizumi's parents wanted to leave them alone, but Tobio had become nervous again and wanted to be with them. They left him with Oikawa and the boy, seeing himself wrapped in his arms, immediately calmed down and leaned on his shoulder.

"Let's go home," he said, after kissing his on the forehead. Tobio nodded and snuggled closer.

"Not tonight," said Mrs. Iwaizumi. "You will come with us. I don't want to leave you alone after tonight"

"It's true," her husband acknowledged. -"Tobio can stay in your room, Hajime, and we have futons to spare."

Oikawa and Iwaizumi got up at the same time. Tooru wasn't feeling brave enough to get into the Iwaizumi's car, but he started to cradle his son and watch him close his eyes. So he got distracted and didn't panic, even if he was a little nervous. Tobio fell asleep in his arms, very calm, and Oikawa smiled. Iwaizumi watched them the entire trip, unable to look away.

Upon arriving at the Iwaizumi's house, no one was hungry so they went to their respective rooms. Oikawa left the boy on the bed while Iwaizumi took out another one from underneath, and prepared it with the sheets. Iwaizumi stopped for a moment and smiled, which didn't go unnoticed by Oikawa.

"What are you laughing at, Iwa-chan?"

"Nothing, it brings back memories... Whenever you came home, you kept my bed. And, what the hell, if I went to yours you also slept in the most comfortable bed" Oikawa smiled a little. Iwaizumi sat on the lowest bed. "Keep it too, this time. The two of you fit perfectly"

Oikawa lay down, stroking the hair of his son who was still sleeping peacefully. Iwaizumi was going to do the same in his bed, but Oikawa took him by the arm to stop him.

"Come here, with us. You also fit" Oikawa fell instantly. Were they at peace or were they still separated? Perhaps it was rash to ask him that, now that the previous tense moment had passed. Iwaizumi said nothing, but came closer and lay down beside him. Tobio remained in the middle of the two. "Thanks for coming. If you hadn't shown up, I couldn't have done anything"

"Hey, you don't have to thank me for anything. Tobio is my son" he assured him. Oikawa looked him in the eye again. Normally, the phrase was "he's like my son," but now it had changed. It was no longer a "like", but it was as a fact. "I want to talk to you. We need to do it, once and for all."

"I'll give you time as long as you want, Iwa-chan. I can wait…” Iwaizumi shook his head, interrupting him.

"Its time to talk," he said, and hugged him. Thus, by the way, he also hugged Tobio. "I've noticed things and settled my head. And more when seeing you in the middle of the road... I've been stupid, thinking that something could have happened to you and me walking away..."

"Iwa-chan… You have the right to feel bad. I still love you, nothing has changed about it."

"We'll talk tomorrow, shall we? As soon as we have filed the complaint, because that cannot wait any longer" Iwaizumi stroked his cheek. "Rest well. You look exhausted..."

Oikawa smiled at him a little and rested his head on his son's. The boy snuggled closer, seeking his warmth, and slowly Tooru fell asleep. Iwaizumi took much longer, because he spent time looking at them.

Thought well, he has almost lost both of them. Another millimetre and the car would have run over them. At that point, surely the hit would have been very serious if not fatal for Oikawa and Tobio couldn't be entirely well if it were to pass over them.

Hajime was sure that the time to think had served him well, but if Oikawa were to die after being so hard on him... It would be something that would never be forgiven.

Was it okay to talk to him like that? Oikawa could be as silly and childish as he wanted, but he was sure that it had affected him a lot.

Maybe he shouldn't have asked for the extra time at that point in his life… Maybe he should have been more considerate.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy birthday, Iwa-chan

Iwaizumi woke up nervous, despite having had a peaceful sleep. He wouldn't lie, he liked to feel accompanied although he wouldn't say it out loud. What made him nervous was precisely his company. It had been days since he had Oikawa next to him, and waking up and seeing him there made him somewhat tense.

Oikawa hadn't woken up all night, although at times his sleep had been somewhat restless. Iwaizumi was happy about that, because after last night, it was convenient for him to rest a lot. Tobio was just like his father, asleep in his arms.

He looked at them for a long time. On the outside, Iwaizumi may seem somewhat callous and carefree, but in reality he isn't. Iwa also feels love and, although it is difficult for him to express it, he falls in love and a lot. Iwaizumi is a rather traditional person in terms of romantic relationships, so he doesn't go with anyone. But, when he does, he really does...

He loves Oikawa deeply. He have understood that already, but Iwaizumi had quite alarming insecurities. Not because of Oikawa, but for himself. He eat his head too much and, above all, in tense situations like the one that was happening now. It was true, he needed space and to clear things up, but he shouldn't have spoken to him that way. Oikawa wasn't having a good time either, maybe he should have given it a little thought...

Iwaizumi sat up. He couldn't spend the day lying in bed, because there were important things to do. The image of his partner and his son holding each other was too beautiful, but he couldn't afford to waste time. Of course, when he got up he kissed the boy on the forehead. Hajime thought about it for a second and gave one to Oikawa as well. He smiled when they both frowned slightly, but didn't wake up.

His parents weren't up yet either, or maybe they were giving them room. He really appreciated it because they needed it. Iwaizumi went to the kitchen and made breakfast for everyone. Then, he had an idea.

He wanted to fix things between himself and Oikawa, it was time to do it. There was no room for doubt, so Iwaizumi decided to start and catch up. He prepared a tray and put part of the breakfast he had made there, and took it to his room. Iwaizumi was having trouble being attentive, but now he wanted to be.

"Wake up," he said, somewhat flushed. Would he like surprise? Normally, Oikawa asked him to be more affectionate, but he became nervous and, later, aggressive.

Oikawa struggled to wake up. He was still tired and was slow to open his eyes. He stood slightly watching Iwaizumi holding the tray, but when he saw him blush he found it adorable and smiled.  
"Iwa-chan, you've never brought me breakfast in bed," he observed, sitting up.

"Yeah, well... You didn't want the sheets to get dirty, did you?" And… well, here you go" Oikawa sat on the second bed, the one Iwaizumi had prepared for the night and hadn't used. Iwaizumi put the tray down carefully.

"Wow, how complete," he said, looking at each plate.

"You need to eat well, especially at breakfast. And, I'm sure, lately you haven't done well so... Eat, you need energy"

Oikawa smiled at him again and started eating. Iwaizumi sat next to him, looking at him. Tooru ate elegantly even when he had just gotten up.

"Hey," he said when Oikawa was going for the orange juice. "We have to talk"

Oikawa stood still, looking at him. He didn't even swallow the juice, he just stood there waiting.

"Oikawa, I... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that, knowing how bad you're now..."

"Iwa-chan, you have the right to feel bad, I already told you. Either now or later, things affect you like any other. Also, it is better to say it. If not, it consumes you and then you explode..."

"Yeah..." Iwaizumi sighed, Oikawa put the tray aside to look at him. "I think I've blamed you for my own insecurities, and I'm so sorry. That's not facing things"

Oikawa looked at his son to make sure he was asleep, and refocused on Iwaizumi.

"Tell me everything, Iwa-chan."

"Mnmm, I… I-it's true that I couldn't follow you. I am not capable enough to keep myself calm so that you don't fall apart. I have tried to be your pillar, what you really need, but I don't know how to do it. And it hurts me not to be able to help you, to see that you have problems and not to know what to do. It annoys me"

"You have been the only one, and I repeat, the only one who has managed to save me..." Oikawa murmured. Iwaizumi looked at him in surprise. “You are the only person who has always been there; that consoled me when I felt worse. When I was overwhelmed, you managed to calm me down. Who was with me when I woke up from nightmares? Iwa-chan, you have always taken care of me, without you it would have been a complete disaster. More than it was"

"Well, I don't feel that way. There are times when I can't, I swear, I feel that way. I feel like I'm not enough. I-I wish I could save you completely, as you say..."

"Thanks to you, I felt accompanied. You and your parents were my family, when I was fighting with my mother. I had people who loved me, who would never abandon me or judge me"

"And you still have it..." Iwaizumi assured him, coming closer. "I know it hurt you not being able to be part of the national team, but it's not the end of the world, don't you think? I also dreamed of playing professionally once, but I would never consider what I have now a failure. I like my job, I have friends and family that includes you and Tobio. I'm fine. Tell me, Oikawa, are you okay with what you have?"

Oikawa sighed and leaned on his shoulder.

"You know how important it was to me..."

"I know. But what now? Would you change what you have, if you could fulfil it?"

He consider it. When he had no nightmares, he imagined himself in the middle of a court. Arms outstretched in jubilation, a sincere smile, a great ovation from the public and, on his neck, hanging a medal. He dreamed of some master move, of obtaining the point with which they won the match. Being part of the game, hugging his classmates, listening to the hymn playing as he go. He felt big, impressive... Extraordinary! And, above all, happy.

But…

When he opened his eyes, he was in Iwaizumi's arms. He saw him wake up and grumble a little bit for the hour. He would made a joke and he would get more angry, so much so that Oikawa laughed. Then, Iwaizumi would push him and return it to him. And, in the end, they ended with a kiss that made Iwa-chan stop frowning. They would both prepare breakfast, Oikawa would dislike Hajime drinking pure, black coffee, but would steal the last cookie he had left.

His son would come running. He always ran everywhere. He would be proud to have put his shirt by himself, but he would put it on backwards every time he tried. After putting it on, he would be so happy that he would hug him and Oikawa would fill his face with kisses. He would laugh.

Tobio smiling was beautiful. Iwaizumi playing with him was also beautiful. He had a good job, that couldn't be denied: leaving aside the past days, they wanted him there, they promoted him and they trusted him with the most complex and important tasks. He could keep in touch with volleyball, after all.

Tooru, still leaning on Iwaizumi's shoulder, looked at him.

"No, I wouldn't change it. Iwa-chan, I love you. Tobio-chan too. I couldn't change it, nor do I want to"

Iwaizumi smiled and leaned on his head. Oikawa reached for his hand and interlaced his fingers. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the touch. Iwaizumi waited a few minutes before speaking again.

"You can be an insufferable fool sometimes, but I love you just the same."

"Iwa-chan, is that a compliment?"

They looked into each other's eyes and laughed. They were silent to each other because Tobio murmured complaining. Then Oikawa kissed him softly and Iwaizumi reciprocated. Seeing that it had worked, Tooru put both hands on his face to stroke it. Hajime, in turn, deepened the kisses making them more durable.

Iwaizumi moved to get closer to him, but they ended up throwing a mug and spilling the contents. Tobio ended up waking up.

Tobio was glad to find them with him, he had wanted to have them both for a long time. Also, Grandpa and Grandma Iwa's company was good, so that morning was wonderful for him. He felt loved.  
While his parents were at the police station, he was left with his Iwa grandparents sitting on a bench opposite. Grandpa Iwa was telling extraordinary stories, so it was a good distraction. When their parents left the police station, Tobio received them with a hug.

Today was a great day, very different from last night.

"What did they tell you?" Grandma Iwa asked, when her husband and son were playing with the boy.

"They found her about to leave the town, she wanted to escape so she knows perfectly well what she did is wrong," Oikawa replied. "She need to confess, or something, but I think the trial will be long."  
"Okay, don't worry. This time, she will not succeed" The woman stroked his arm and Oikawa smiled at her. "If you want, Tobio can stay with us today, too."

"Thank you," he said honestly. It would be good to spend some time alone with Iwaizumi.

"No problem, we love having him. He's a good boy, but he has suffered enough with that woman, He need love."

"How much do you think being with her has affected him?" Oikawa looked really worried about that.

"You told me that Tobio has been very attached to you these past few days, right? He has a lack of affection, he has been more shocked than we think and he wants to have all the love he can with you. Surely, he is also afraid that you will stop loving him."

"I never would."

"I know, but he's a kid. He's scared. We just have to make him see that we love him and that what has happened with Suzuki is not something that should last for life. Let's take good care of him, now he will be extremely sensitive"

"I understand"

"Look, dad! The policeman brought me the cage" Tobio said, showing it to him. A single bird leaped inside.

"Give it to me, Iwa-chan and I will take her home."

"Tim's not back. Dad, remember to tell him to come home, that we won't be there anymore"

"Yes, I will tell him..." Oikawa finished muttering, holding the cage. He was sure Tim would never come back. It was very difficult for a lost bird to return. "Okay, let's go home. And you, behave well with your grandparents, okay?"

"Yes!" He replied and ran to Mr. Iwaizumi. Iwa met with Oikawa, so they could go home together.

Iwaizumi and Oikawa arrived home soon after, and the two of them let out a sigh.

"Well, I'm home, I guess" Iwa said. Oikawa looked at him. He had dreamed many times that this moment would come, but now it came for real. Iwa-chan was there, with him. He was back.

The next thing they remember is to be eating their mouth at any moment. Anxious, they undressed and lay on the bed, ready to show how much they had missed each other. Soon the house was filled with gasps and moans, and whispered words that were barely understood but showed with every movement.

Oikawa allowed himself to be touched and kissed everything Iwaizumi wanted, because with each touch and kiss he noticed how much he had missed him and that made him crazy. He thus made sure that Iwaizumi loved him and had also had a hard time, just like him. Hajime moved slowly, paying attention to every inch of his partner's body. He was remembering the previous times and he felt as if he had never abandoned his arms and his lips.

"How sweet, Iwa-chan..." Oikawa whispered, when Iwaizumi hugged him tightly and rested his head on his shoulder. In response, Iwaizumi placed a couple of kisses on his neck while keeping the rhythm steady.

"I've missed you so much..." he replied in the same tone, and he earned a moan from him. "Oikaw…"

"Call me Tooru..." he interrupted. He kissed him as an apology. "We've been together for so long that it's about time you called me by name... I-if not, it's very cold, Iwa-chan..."

"Okay, Tooru..." and, again, he got a groan in response. Iwaizumi loved it, so he increased the pace a bit. "Tooru... Tooru..."

As Iwaizumi kept calling him, Oikawa followed him with louder moans. He liked to hear his name on the lips of his partner, and asked him to move more in order to better taste the moment. The name was lost in Iwaizumi's own moans and ended at the same time.

Hajime allowed himself to be in that position for a while longer, because that way he admired Oikawa underneath, with his eyes closed and his cheeks slightly red. He pulled back his bangs a little and his eyes widened to show him the brown colour. Iwa was enraptured.

"You are beautiful," he said, looking at him as if he were observing pure art.

Surely Oikawa had been told thousands of times that he was really handsome, but coming from Iwaizumi made his face turn red, his eyes sparkled and a genuine and somewhat shy smile settled on his lips. He looked away a bit, keeping the smile, and Iwaizumi kissed his cheek. Tooru hugged him by the neck and whispered in his ear:

"You too"

But Iwaizumi chuckled wryly.

"You don't have to return it"

"But it's how I feel, Iwa-chan. You are handsome, and strong. And you have a very nice eye colour. Also…" Oikawa sat up and slowly laid him down on his back to the bed. "I love you, and to me you are beautiful."

Iwaizumi, below Oikawa, blushed red and Tooru thought it was adorable. The once shy smile turned into one that foreshadowed play. He started stroking his boyfriend's strong body, delighting.

"Look at you, Iwa-chan... How hot you are..." Oikawa leaned down and bit his lower lip. "It makes me want to take you… can I?"

It was rather a rhetorical question, because he knew he was going to say yes.

Oikawa couldn't recall a day when he had slept better than this time. He didn't feel tired or had any strange nightmares or dreams. It had been placid and, when he woke up, he found himself next to Iwaizumi, who was hugging him. He was still asleep, so seeing him was more like a gift. Iwa-chan looked cute, asleep.

He wanted to stay in bed all day and play with him, but it seemed that today wouldn't let him. The doorbell rang, and Oikawa had to get up as he already counted three insistent "rings". Maybe it was important...

He got dressed and left the room when Iwaizumi started waking up from the sound. Oikawa didn't open at first, but looked through the spyhole earlier.

"Get out of here or I'll ask for a restraining order..."

"Please listen to me!" Naoko Suzuki shouted. The door helped turn down the volume, but Oikawa heard her perfectly.

"What do you want now!?"

"I want to talk to you! P-please don't hate me..."

"My son almost died because of your attitude! How do you want me not to hate you?" Suzuki's loud sob was heard.

Iwaizumi appeared, surprised by the screams but when he was by his side and understood everything, his gesture changed to anger.

"Let me tell her a few things..." he muttered, annoyed. But Oikawa didn't open the door.

"D-don't hate me, forgive me..."

"Get out of here"

"Please, Tooru!"

Oikawa was going to answer one last time, but someone did it for him.

"What are you doing screaming in front of her door? Have you no shame?" sentenced a harsh voice. "Go away, if I see you around here again, you won't see the outside in twenty years."

It seemed that the threat had been fruitful, because no more screams or sobs were heard. Oikawa and Iwaizumi looked at each other, curious and surprised, and opened the door to see who had chased them away. Although Oikawa recognized the voice at once.

On the landing was a tall, slender woman, her head held high haughtily. Her long straight brown hair was pulled back into a serious braid. His whole appearance gave him a solemn touch.

"Mom..."

\--------------time skip --------------

Junko Oikawa usually was a temperamental woman, but she knew how to keep her composure. When she was angry she made no effort to avoid showing it. His face turned to stone, hard and inflexible, and she stood erect with her hands together. Her graceful and straight pose was synonymous of an upcoming storm.

Tooru knew that. Therefore, he sent Iwaizumi to go for Tobio so that he wouldn't have to witness his mother's anger.

"And, well…?"

"And, well?" the woman repeated, sarcastically. "Why didn't you tell me about that woman? I have had to find out everything from your sister, and not from you"

"Oh, let me remind you:" Oikawa said, who also didn't hide his discomfort when he was in front of his mother. "When I told you I had a son, you blamed my lack of responsibility. You criticized me, you told me that I was immature and stupid to take care of a child. That I would go astray and drag an innocent child with it, and it would be my fault. That's what you said. Do you think I would explain that the woman who gave birth to him has returned? For what? To hear more reproaches?"

"You are very wrong, if you think I wouldn't have helped you. That woman doesn't deserve to be around my grandson"

"Well, something we think the same about!"

"Don't be so patronizing, I'm still your mother and I demand respect."

"The same one you have to me?"

"Tooru," Junko warned sharply. Oikawa fell silent, but kept his face annoyed. "I've come to recommend a lawyer. You need it for the trial"

"I already have one"

"One that wasn’t enough. I run a firm, I know who has qualities and who doesn't"

"Being you my mother doesn't mean favouritism?"

"No, because I won't have the case. I would never be partial, I act professionally. Now stop complaining and accept my help"

"And the magic word?" He said with malice, his mother gave him a cold look. "I don't need your help, mom. I haven't needed it these years, I have shown you that I am capable of leading my life well"

"And that's why you didn't come to visit me? I hardly see my grandson, and I know it's your fault"

"For what? In the end, you will also reproach him for something. You only know how to look for flaws, and I don't want Tobio-chan to have that torment"

"Don't talk like that, like I'm a monster. I love my grandson, and I love you"

"Go away, mom. I don't want to talk to you now" Oikawa didn't look at her, and sighed. "Leave the lawyer's number, and leave..."

The woman also stopped looking at her son. Her expression was still firm but, deep down, that had hurt her. However, she was a prideful woman so she straightened up and left the house with her head held high.

Oikawa sat on the sofa, exhausted.

The relationship with his mother wasn't good, for a long time they hadn't been able to be on the same place without arguing, at least twice. On one hand, Oikawa felt misunderstood. Year after year, his mother had become tougher and angry at everything. It was like being in front of someone who can cut your head off if you try her.

And Oikawa, obviously, wasn't scared by it so he attacked back. The two, having strong personalities, collided too much.

Iwaizumi returned with Tobio and then the discomfort passed. Iwa started to make dinner, and Oikawa wanted to help him. At first, he doubted that he could cook without collapsing the kitchen, but Oikawa promised him that he would be a good student and would listen to his advice. So Iwaizumi started teaching him.

Little by little, it seemed that Oikawa was managing the kitchen better, although he was far from taking out a decent plate. At least nothing had been burned or broken, and his son ate at ease.

After that, as he passed the bathroom across the hall, he found Tobio in front of the mirror and holding his hair up. Oikawa looked at him for a few moments. Tobio moved the strands side to side and tried to bend them, but they landed again on his forehead.

"Tobio-chan, what are you doing?" He asked, and made him jump a little. Tobio blushed a little.

"It doesn't curl."

"Of course not, you have it straight. Since when do you like curly hair?"

"It's just..." he said, swaying a little. "You have it curly, Dad. I want to have it the same"

"What?" He blurted out, not understanding at first. Tobio came up with a brush and handed it to him for combing. "Okay, let's see what we can do. Let's wet your hair, we'll use my shampoo"

Tobio was puzzled. He would use dad's shampoo! The one that only he uses and seems to be magical, because he gets very angry if it is wasted. Oikawa played along, although there wasn't much to do with her son's fine hair. But he looked happy and eager to play, so he wouldn't take away the illusion.

It was nice to see his son having fun.

Oikawa styled his hair and washed it well with his shampoo and conditioner. Tobio was eager to see the final result, but he still had to dry and comb it. Oikawa wiped it off, first, with a towel and they went to his room to continue with the hairdresser. Oikawa liked to dry his hair in his room, so he would do the same to the boy.

Tooru and the kid sat on the bed and the father dried his hair while styling it with the brush. At least, until it was wavy. His son's hair was quite fine and it would cost too much to leave it as his curls. At least, they were having a good time in the room, Tobio was talking and saying things while his hair was drying and since the noise was quite loud, he had to scream and they ended up laughing  
without understanding what each other was saying.

"Done!" Oikawa announced. Tobio got excited and looked for the mirror in his parents' closet. He was amazed even though his father had only managed to do a single ringlet.

"Now I look like you!" he said. It wasn't entirely true, but Oikawa let him stay happy.

"Was that what you wanted, to look like me?" Tobio nodded and threw himself into his arms. The curly lock fell straight again.

"People say that I don't seem like you, and they say it as if it were bad"

"Well, what is the problem? Surely many of your classmates don't look fully like their parents and, you know what? It is normal. Children aren't photocopies, and may resemble a grandfather or uncle before their parents"

"Oh really?"

"Yes. Do you know who you look like the most?" Tobio denied, curious. "Your grandfather had hair just as black as you. My father was the different from the family, Yumi and I are more like Grandma than him"

"Do I look like grandpa?" He repeated, amazed. "The one in the space?"

"Yes, him…"

"Cool!" he exclaimed happily, and looked at himself in the mirror again. He wasn't sad because his hair had become straight again.

"Okay, now you have to sleep. You have school tomorrow. Tobio-chan..." Tobio had gone to bed and curled up on top of him. "This is not your bed."

"Mnmm, I want to sleep here"

"And what about Iwa-chan?"

"He can also stay. He can explain one of those cool Godzilla stories!"

"No, please, not Godzilla..."


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Outside the family drama, life is still going on for everyone

Today, Iwa-chan was showing off. Tobio was impressed, he had finally taken him to watch a high school volleyball practice. Hinata was with him, he had begged to bring him too because he knew that his friend would like it. At least, this time the kids weren't fooling around of how amazed they were.

"Look how high the net is!" they shouted, under it. Iwaizumi had matched his tour of the gym while the boys were in locker rooms. That way, they could run wherever they wanted before having to sit still and watch.

In addition, he had been able to take them within a volleyball practice between different schools, so they could also see other players and the occasional practice match.

"Why don't we have these things at school? It's not fair" Hinata said.

"You are just getting started. It won't be long before you play like this, wait a year or two more"

"Eh, two? No way!" Tobio growled. "We are better than those child practices."

"Then you must do it with more reason. If you skip the base, your coaches will think you are worthless and will not let you play"

"No, not that!" They yelled, terrified.

Shortly after, the training began and although Iwaizumi was with them only for a short time, the two children were happy. Iwaizumi introduced them to the head coach, and the coach sometimes explained a play they made. The players, in general, ignored a little the children because they wanted to focus but sometimes they showed them some passes.

"Tobi, we'll be like this in a few years," Hinata commented, impressed. "You imagine?"

"Yes! No one can stop us"

The two boys smiled and put their heads together, huddled together as they watched the training.

"Do you want to go eat something?" Iwaizumi said to them, when they took a break.

"Yes!" they exclaimed, happy to be fed. They jumped around Iwaizumi as they left the gym. Iwaizumi smiled, they were behaving well so he allowed them to do some fuss.

"Tobi, look!" Hinata exclaimed suddenly. "They are the monitors of the summer camp!"

The two children ran towards the two boys, being followed by Iwaizumi who could not afford to lose sight of them for even a second.

"Ah, aren't they Shouyou and Tobio?" Sawamura said, with an affable smile. The two children trotted around him as Sugawara patted them on the head.

"Are you also training?" Tobio asked them.

"We have a practice match," Suga replied.

"Wow, can we see it?!" Hinata asked them. "Please!"

"Yes, Iwa-chan! Let's go see them!"

"It's okay"

Each child took one of the boys by the hand and led them into a gym, followed by Iwaizumi. They sat in the front rows, the children didn't know how to sit still for a second because they were too excited.

They had already witnessed a professional match and found it fantastic. Although the ones they saw now was different because they were high school boys, and it was a different emotion. They were younger, and ultimately more accessible. They knew how to dream big and in their child's mind there was still no place to think about a real future but instinctively they could hold on to the current image to see that yes, that they can play volleyball and be good. Seeing them made them see that it wasn't so far away.

"Tobi, Tobi, I've had an idea. Listen" Hinata insisted when the game ended. He got closer to his friend, giving him a hug. "When we grow up, we will go to the same school as them! Don't they look super cool?"

"Yes! We'll go together?" Tobio said excitedly. Hinata nodded vigorously and they hugged each other tightly. "Iwa-chan, can I go to Karasuno when I grow up?"

"We'll talk about it," Iwaizumi said. They hadn't stopped to think about what high school he would attend because Tobio still had a few years left to finish primary school.

"Too bad Daddy couldn't come today," Tobio said. He would have liked to share the moment with him.

"Was busy. You know what? We'll go out to dinner today when Daddy arrives"

"Good!" exclaimed the little boy. Then, he challenged him to a race that Iwaizumi let himself win. Iwaizumi texted Oikawa informing him of the dinner decision.

Oikawa read it instantly and, although he didn't feel like going out today, he said yes. He wanted to follow the advice of Mrs. Iwaizumi, who had told him that the boy needed care and affection, and a family dinner would help a lot.

He put away his cell phone and looked at the front building. He had received an important call that had summoned him there, in front of the hospital. Oikawa was suspicious, not only because of the call itself but because of the agreed place. What was he doing there? Then, he saw a nurse come out and approached him, so he understood that he had been summoned there because she worked in the hospital.

"I'm on my break. It isn't long, but I'll be brief” she said. It was a woman with short black hair, tall and thin, with deep, dark eyes.

"Sakura Kageyama?" Oikawa asked, by way of greeting.

Yes," she said, somewhat terse. "But I suppose you will care more if I introduce myself as Naoko Suzuki's cousin..."

"What did you call me for?" Oikawa said, wrinkling his nose a little. He didn't want to hear anyone who could defend her.

"My cousin has always been unstable, so I've come to offer you a deal."

"I don't want to hear anything from whoever defends her," he interrupted.

"I'm not defending her at all. And it seems correct to me that a punishment should be imposed according to her actions. I want to negotiate her prison sentence"

"What, you want her to have less? That's defending her, equally. I know that she's not going to get a long sentence because the boy is fine, but she has abandoned him. And it has its consequences"

"I know, but I want to emphasize how unstable she is. She needs help, so I'll find her therapy. If not, she won't realize what she has done even if you send her to prison. When she knows, then she will serve her sentence. Do you understand?"

Oikawa sighed. He wanted to consider it, but there was a compelling reason not to accept that offer.

"She hurt my son, and we almost lost our lives. I don't want it to be easy. Furthermore, if she doesn't go to prison there is a risk that she will return. She did it once, after so many years without seeing  
us, and she can do it again"

"Precisely. If she understand that it is wrong, she will understand why they judge her. Otherwise, she will rebel and, when she comes out, she will bother again. The sooner you see it, the sooner you  
will think about it. I don't want to benefit her, but you and your family. I assure you, after that, she won't bother you again"

They were silent for a few minutes while Oikawa pondered it. He had tried thousands of times to talk to Suzuki and convince her and, although he wasn't the best to do it because he was always angry with her, it seemed that Naoko never understood him. And when she appeared on the front door of his house, she didn't seem to understand either. Maybe it would be better if someone explained to her before...

He looked at Sakura for a moment. She looked like a serious and reasonable woman, so maybe it would be good to trust her. He preferred to continue the conversation, if she was her cousin it would be good to ask her what Naoko Suzuki is like.

"You were the one who left Tobio at my house, wasn't it?" He said, realizing that he remembered having seen her before.

"Yes"

"Did you know…? Do you know what she did to me at the party?" Sakura shook her head.

"Not before. I didn't even know your name at first. She had only told me that the father didn't take charge and I thought you would be the typical dude who runs away knowing that she got a girl pregnant. After the boy was born, she told me your name and I looked for you through the hospital database... She recently confessed to me about the party"

"You didn't even stop to explain, or at least tell me why you left the baby there."

"Because I saw you as the bastard who had abandoned her. I didn't want to talk to you, or we'd end badly"

"Why did you leave him to me if he was such a bad guy?"

"I have already told you that Naoko has been unstable forever, so she was unable to care for a child. And she rejected the baby at birth, and I thought of some adoption centre. But, then I realized that there was a father who, even if he is an imbecile, is also responsible whether he wants to or not. Not only does the mother have to bear the blame. And maybe the boy had one more chance, before taking him to an orphanage or shelter"

"Actually, you did the right thing. I wouldn't know what to do without him, now"

"I helped him to be born and gave him a name. Believe it or not, I took a liking to him"

"I think so," he said, without hesitation. "I will consider your request, but I want it to be successful. I won't give her one more chance"

"Neither do I, don't worry." Sakura smiled a little. "And in the end, you weren't an asshole, so I'm on your side."

"Where have you been all this time? You had to watch television or something..."

"It wasn't in Miyagi. I was covering an exchange with a Tokyo nurse, but now he's asked to come back so I went home"

"Thank you. I really appreciate a little reasoning in all of this"

\-----------time skip----------

The trips to the park began quietly and ended in disaster. It was inevitable that Tobio and Hinata would get too excited playing and end up with some hit. Tadashi, Hitoka, and Kei were calmer, but sometimes they received some jolt from those two natural disasters.

Akaashi sighed wearily, seeing them perched on a spinning wheel. They spun it around and screamed with laughter. Oikawa repeatedly warned them to stop playing the fool, but they were two rebellious souls.

"Can we play something else? With so many turns I get dizzy" said Tadashi Yamaguchi. "Shall we go to the swings?"

"Yes!" The two children shouted, looking for something to shake.

"They don't run out of energy?" Oikawa commented, watching them run from one side to another.

"I wish I believed it, but between Shouyou and Koutaro I already lost hope." Tooru laughed a little.

"How are you at home, by the way?" he asked later. He had spent so much time in trouble that he had forgotten something: that the world was running its course. "Is your sister doing well?"

"She's getting better, she can move better. But there is still a long way to go to move fully, as before. That's physical level, because...Well, she isn't very good. Yuudai's loss weighs heavily on her, which is understandable. He's her husband, after all"

"And the kids?"

"Shouyou's nervous, he must be careful with his mother because she's still delicate. Before, Hyoko was very energetic and played a lot, and now she is walking away. He has begun to ask about his father, too, although we have told him that he will not be back..."

"I imagine" and well he did, because he had been in a situation similar to this.

"By the way, I want to tell you something." Oikawa nodded and listened carefully. "Koutaro has already spent too much time off the team and must now return, and I will go back to the Tokyo hospital. I had only asked for an exchange, but I can't stay forever"

"Sooner or later it had to happen, you were here because your sister was in hospital. Now that she have left the hospital, you will return to your routine"

"Yes, but we won't do it alone. Hyoko cannot stay alone yet, nor can she take care of young children because she needs the help of an adult to get around. Also, I have been seeing rehabilitation programs that will serve her better than those here, her recovery would be faster. So, Hyoko and the children come with us..."

"Will you all go to Tokyo?"

"They would be with us until Hyoko recovers. Afterwards, they will return to Miyagi, after all it is their home. We have started to tell Shouyou, but I don't think he fully understands it. He thinks it will be a vacation... and he and your son are very close, and I am afraid they will not take it well if they are separated in that way"

"I know…"

Oikawa also feared it. They were like two soulmate, you couldn't separate them just like that but life is life. There were compelling reasons to leave, and there was nothing to be done about it. Furthermore, Akaashi had said that they would return to Miyagi so something was something. But he was sure Tobio wouldn't understand.

"It's going to be tough, but they'll have to accept it. He doesn't go away forever either, does he? They will be together again..." it hurt to be so cold, but with these situations he had to be realistic. "I'll talk to him at home, he must start to understand it as soon as possible"

"It will be for the best, although it gives me a horrible sadness to have to separate them..."

"Don't torture yourself, it will be best for your sister if she can recover earlier. When she can fend for herself, her mood will improve. You will see, it is the right decision"

"Thank you. I just hope it's not too traumatic for them, I wouldn't want them to have a bad memory"

"It is impossible for them not to react badly at first, but they will have to understand it. And they will, don't worry"

Akaashi sighed somewhat calmer, although he still had to do the most complicated thing of all. Oikawa understood it perfectly. In his situation he would have done it too, but he couldn't forget that his son was extremely sensitive these days and the departure of his best friend could complicate things. This had to be talked about delicately.

Along the way, Oikawa said nothing to him. It would be better to do it at home, in a calm environment and with Iwaizumi present. He would also help, between the two they would get the least traumatic way of saying it. At home, Tobio went to his room to do his homework while Oikawa talked to his partner about it.

"He won't understand," Iwaizumi said, although Oikawa already knew that. "At least, not now."

"Yes, but that's what worries me. He doesn't need more disappointments, but there is no other"

"We just have to wait... When is a good time to tell him?"

"I don't know. After dinner? Maybe it's going to be hard for him to fall asleep... We can't tell him before class either, or he's not going to attend the lesson. Tomorrow afternoon?"

"I won't be in the afternoon, I have a faculty meeting. And I want to be present."

"Mnmm, we can't wait long either. He have to know before they leave, or it will be worse"

"Yeah, you're right."

"Dad, look!" The boy was heard from his room. "It's Tim!"

Oikawa didn't come immediately, because he thought it was impossible for the bird to be there. It will have been confused, it was night and it didn't look good outside. But his son insisted again and went to the room.

"Tobio-chan, don't hang on the window," he ordered, seeing him on tiptoe. Tobio ignored him, but got down to pull his arm and lead him there. "Honey, I don't think..."  
But he went silent. Nestled against the wall on the windowsill was a bird with its green plumage and orange face.

"It can't be," said Oikawa, without believing it.

"He's back!" Tobio exclaimed, applauding. He ran to the living room, where the cage was. "Rebecca, your husband is back!"

"Seriously...?" Iwaizumi said, entering the room.

"It seems to be him. Iwa-chan, he has remembered where we live!" Oikawa was also excited.

"It's great but..." Iwaizumi's voice trailed off a little and Oikawa looked at him, concerned. "Look at him, he's shrunken and has ruffled feathers. I... I think he's sick or something's wrong"

"Sick…? Oh no... What do we do?"

"We'll take him to the vet, I hope I'm wrong and he's only cold."

Iwaizumi left the room and returned with a newspaper and a cardboard box. Carefully, he picked up the bird with the newspaper and put it in the box. The bird did not fly or panic, just jumped up and down with its eyes narrowed. Hajime sighed.

"Stay with Tobio, we don't all need to come" Oikawa nodded and Iwaizumi left the house, although he didn't have much hope for the poor bird.

Oikawa went to the living room.

"Tim went to the vet," he explained to the boy. "It takes a little while before he can get back to Rebecca."

"Okay... Maybe she should go to the doctor too, because she's weird"

"Weird?" Tobio nodded and took him to the cage. The bird was curled up and missing feathers that had been piled up in a corner. "Oh wait! I think I know what happens. I think she wants to make a nest, she tore off a few feathers to make it"

"A nest?"

"Yes, we have to make her a comfortable and beautiful one. She will have children"

"For real?!" exclaimed Tobio, excited.

"I'll call Iwa-chan, you can take the opportunity to ask the vet what you need" Tobio nodded and stood near the cage, watching the bird. Oikawa moved away a little and called Iwaizumi. "Did they tell you something?"

"I was going to call you now, I was told that he won't get over this night..."

"Poor thing, now that he had come home..." Oikawa looked at his son who was talking to the bird. She chirped a little.

Oikawa had had a couple of pets that hadn't lasted long because they weren't animals that lived long, but he remembered that it was sad when they died. As a father, now, he had to take care of his son who would surely be sad.

"Hey, I think the female is going to lay eggs. Ask the vet what to do..."

"It's okay. If there are little birds, the loss of Tim won't be so hard..."

"I guess so. See you at home"

Oikawa sighed, setting the phone aside. The poor bird had died, but at least he had found them before. He turned to his son, who was still talking to the female lovebird about how good a mom he would have to be.

"Tobio-chan, darling, come here..." he said as he sat down on the sofa. Tobio came running and sat on his lap. "Look... Tim is sick, and he's not going to come home"

"Is he staying in a hospital?"

"No... Tim died. He won't come home"

"Eh...?" The little boy's confused face broke Oikawa's soul.

"Every living thing dies... It goes away." Oikawa found it difficult to find suitable words so that the child understood what death was. "We die, and we give way to others who are born... It's like when food has that date, you know, the expiration date, that you can't continue eating after that..." Tobio nodded. "Some of us died before and others after... Tim has had it before, like your grandfather..."

"Will Tim be with Grandpa?" Tobio asked, somewhat hopefully. Oikawa agreed, it was one thing to understand death and another to interpret it as he wanted. What is beyond death, each one imagines as he wants. "But won't he come to say goodbye...?" Or to visit me?"

"No, he's already gone and nobody comes back from death."

"He will not be back? But..." his eyes watered. "I don't want him to go, now that he came home... And he has children..."

"Sometimes, it comes suddenly..." Oikawa's stomach knotted. Death had indeed called when Iwaizumi saw the sick animal. But he well knew what it was like to run into it at once.

"B-but I want to say goodbye..." the boy muttered, starting to cry, throwing himself into his father's arms.

Oikawa cradled him in distress, although it was absolutely normal and legal for him to mourn the loss of his pet. Iwaizumi came home and found them like this. He sighed and sat down with them.

"Iwa-chan, Tim is gone..." the boy said tearfully. Iwaizumi knew that perfectly well. "I want him here…"

"We can't do anything for him, but there is one thing left to do." Tobio paid attention as Iwaizumi wiped the tears from his cheeks. "You have to take care of his children. We have to feed the mother well while she is incubating and, when they are born, we must take good care of them so that they grow beautiful and healthy. You will do it?"

"Yes! I adopt them. Now I will be their dad" his parents smiled.

"All right. It will be necessary to make a new nest, more comfortable and better than the one that has been improvised. And when they are born, we will have to buy another cage because they will be more. Do you want to do the nest now?"

"Yes, Yes!" Tobio stopped crying and went with Iwaizumi to make Rebecca a nest.

Oikawa made dinner today, to leave them both with the work. He had improved a lot, and although the rice was a little overdone, dinner could be eaten. Tobio was already more cheerful.  
So they couldn't tell him about his friend. It was not the time.

\--------------time skip------------

Hinata Shouyou had always been a joyous child, until early in the morning. So it was surprising to see him pouting all day. Tobio didn't know what to do, he had tried to play with him whatever he wanted and had given him his breakfast, but the boy wasn't happy.

"Don't look at me," said Tsukishima. "He's your friend, you will know what to do"

Tobio also went sad. Shouyou infected him with whatever emotion he had. Normally, they were positive, but now the negative ones were also imitated.

"What's that face?" Iwaizumi asked, seeing him discouraged. It wasn't long before he caught a glimpse of what had happened, because he soon saw Hinata in the same state. "Hey, little one, what's wrong with you?"

Hinata looked at him, the little sun looked sad. He pouted as his eyes blurred.

"Uncle Keiji wants to go away and forces me to go with him..."

"Force?"

"He says I can't stay alone... B-but I don't want to leave..."

"Eh!?" Tobio exclaimed, before Iwaizumi could answer. "Go away...?"

"S-says we are going back to Tokyo... I don't want, Tobi, I don't want to..."

"You can't go!" Tobio became nervous, Iwaizumi didn't know how to calm him. They hadn't had time to tell him before, and it was too shocking for the boy. "You're not going to leave me alone!"

"And I don't want it, Tobi!" Hinata started crying.

"I'll go with you to Tokyo!" Tobio decided. He looked at Iwaizumi seeking his approval, but he shook his head. There he realized that he should have found another answer because Tobio became desperate.

"He can't go, Iwa-chan!" he exclaimed. Then he went to shake his friend's arm. He did this every time he got nervous. "No!"

Iwaizumi didn't know what to do, he had the two children out of control and crying. Akaashi arrived at that very moment, and thought he was safe. Akaashi was calm and could better control the situation...

He was wrong, though, because Hinata turned away from him and hid behind his friend as soon as he saw him.

"I'm not going to Tokyo!" shouted him. Akaashi sighed wearily.

"We've already talked about it, Mom needs to go. She has yet to heal"

"Mom can do it here! Or I can stay!"

"You are not going to be alone."

"I don't want to go!" Shouted more.

"P-please," Tobio added. "L-let him stay... He can't go..."

"He will return to Miyagi when his mom recovers," he explained. "He won't go away forever."

"When will he be back? Can't he stay with me? I will let him share my bed..."

"We don't know how long it will take to heal..."

"I don't want to leave Tobi!" Hinata yelled, hugging the aforementioned. Tobio also wept harder.

Iwaizumi and Akaashi became completely desperate. They couldn't take them home, Hinata didn't detach himself from Tobio and didn't allow himself to be touched by Akaashi. And when Iwaizumi separated them, they would cry even more.

_'Come as soon as you can. Tobio found out that Hinata is leaving and they are out of control'_

Oikawa was slow to read the message, because he was with the lawyer. The trial was going well, and there was good communication between him and the lawyer. But, coming from the law firm that his mother ran, some of them recognized him.

"Come on, it's Tooru! The last time we saw you, you were like that" they said, as they put their hands simulating the height of a child.

"Yes, long time ago huh?" he said, somewhat reserved. Talking about his childhood with serious and dressed people made him feel a little out of place.

"I remember how you used to like sitting in your mother's chair and spinning around," someone added.

"Yes, he also asked us for a briefcase or a document and posed as a lawyer. We already thought that we would see you here with us, but you haven't chosen Laws, eh?"

"No, it's not my thing..."

"Yeah, you are a journalist, right? You are doing well, right? I have seen your name signed in some articles"

"Yes, the truth is that I'm doing well"

His lawyer returned from looking for some papers, and it was his turn to say goodbye. Oikawa thanked him, because he didn't much like talking about his life as a child.

"This is it, we'll see you in two weeks," said the lawyer.

"Okay, and thank you very much," Oikawa replied, as they clasped their hands together.

"It is my duty," said the man, gave him a squeeze on the shoulder and left. Oikawa did the same, leaving the firm.

"How's it going?" asked his mother, who came after him. She knew the case was going well, but she wanted to hear it from her son. She was a little tired of hearing about things from other people.

"Fine," Oikawa replied dryly. Junko raised an eyebrow.

"Would you mind being more detailed?"

"Okay, what do you want to know more about?"

"I don't consent to this contempt."

"Then don't look at me like I'm the biggest mistake of your life."

Junko didn't have time to react and say something to him, because Oikawa focused on his mobile. He had received the message from Iwaizumi, and his face contorted with concern. His mother noticed it at once.

"What happens?"

"Nothing. I have to go"

"Is something wrong with Tobio?"

Oikawa stood there, trying to understand how she could have guessed.

"I'll go with you"

"No, you're going to spoil everything."

"Don't speak without knowing. I care about my grandson, and I'm going with you. I drive"

Oikawa wanted to discuss it, but in the end he agreed because Tobio was more important, and he wanted to know what exactly was wrong with him to help him. He and his mother went to school, where the group was still in front of the door with the two crying children holding each other.

"What happens?" He said as soon as he arrived.

"Dad, Hinata is leaving..." his son cried.

"They have to go. His uncles work, and her mother has to recover"

"B-but I don't want him to go..."

"Neither do I!" Hinata added. Akaashi was about to cry over his rejection.

"Listen, your uncle only wants the best for everyone" he defended. "And he has promised that Hinata and his family will return to Miyagi, with you again."

"What exactly is going on?" Junko asked abruptly to Iwaizumi. Hajime, who already knew him disapproving looks, didn't bother.

"Hinata is his best friend, but his mother needs rehabilitation after an accident. In Tokyo they will help her more than here, that's why they have to go. But they will return as soon as he has recovered"

Junko nodded, understanding it, and looked at Akaashi who was affected. She approached him, keeping her face serious.

"It is the best decision you could make. Do not torment yourself, the child will have to understand it"

"I know, but he is such a happy boy and now he cries..."

"He'll recover, he can't stay that long. Impose more, or he will continue whining"

"Don't tell him what to do," Oikawa snapped, turning to her. "You are nobody to him, so you can tell him."

"No, she's right," said Akaashi, sighing. "I can't break down, my family's sanity rests on me and I must command."

Junko and her son looked at each other for a moment, she looking clearly victorious when she saw Akaashi calm down.

"Shouyou, it's time to go home," he said. Hinata effusively denied, but Akaashi didn't twist his arm. "Mom will be sad if she sees you like this."

The threats were never considered a good education system, but it served to stop Shouyou from screaming. The boy was well aware that his mother was sad and wanted to see her smile. For this, he had to be a good boy so he fell silent and stayed by his side. Of course, he didn't take him by the hand.

Tobio was left helpless, but his father stayed by his side immediately and felt more secure clinging to his hand.

"And you, Tobio," said Junko. Tobio looked at her somewhat shyly, because he hardly ever saw her and wasn't used to her. "You must understand that your friend has responsibilities to fulfil with his family."

"Yeah, mom," Oikawa interrupted her. "He doesn't need your sermon."

"It is not a sermon, it is advice."

"None of what you say seems like advice. Let's go home, Iwa-chan" Without letting her mother answer, he walked away from the school door with his son. Iwaizumi followed in silence.

Upon reaching home, Tobio was still limp but not crying. He stood by the bird cage, silently watching the lovebird sleep. Oikawa tried to speak to him, but the boy wasn't listening.

"In the end, he will listen to you," Iwaizumi said. "It was shocking news and he need to digest it. You know he can't be without you, so he'll be looking for you again soon"

"I hope you are right. Poor things... If I had separated from you when we were children, I would also feel the same"

"And what would I do without my crying friend who needs me because he doesn't know how to cross the street?" Oikawa rolled his eyes at the memory, but smiled. "By the way, there is something I want to tell you about. I don't want to criticize, but..."

"Say it"

"Haven't you been a little... edge, with your mother? She wanted to help"

"Her way of helping is not conventional, it hurts a lot"

"But sometimes a reality bump comes better than a pat on the back and a sweet smile. I think... I think that your anger with her clouds your judgment and you think that everything she does is wrong"

"It's her who sees everything wrong, you know how she is. She's always criticizing and despising everything I do. She also did it with your parents and with you"

"Yes, but at school she really wanted to help, and it worked. At least, at that moment yes. Akaashi was very affected and your mother's words served to calm him. You must admit that you are quite hard on your mother"

"Yes, I admit it. But she deserves it for how she has treated me all these years. She's like one of those movie governesses who hit kids who misbehave with rules"

"She never hit you."

"I know, but her words hurt the same. It wasn't like that before, Iwa-chan. Before she looked at me with sweetness and love, and now I only get that look of contempt"

"Try to think why she behaves like this," Iwaizumi said seriously. He disapproved of Junko's behaviour because Oikawa had really had a hard time with her but, on the other hand, he understood her. But her son didn't see it that way. "How did she change?"

"She was always quite serious, but never that much. She treated me well and was proud of me, I was her little prince. She always said that... But then she became gruff and overly controlling. Everything I did, she took badly and criticized me in a bad way. I only received her sermons, listened to how bad a son I was every day and night. Everything had to go through her consent, and she never flattered me. All reproaches... Nothing was ever enough for her. And on top she took your family as enemies, when before they got along very well. They knew each other, and I remember how close the four of them were. And then they received her criticism and she kept them away"

"And... why do you think she behaved like this all of a sudden?"

"I don't know"

"Think" Iwa insisted. Oikawa looked at him, not knowing where he wanted to go. His anger with her mother was such that he didn't see it. "Something had to happen to make her change that way. And you know what happened to your family..."

"Y-you mean the accident...?" His voice trembled. It was a delicate subject, but Iwaizumi wanted him to understand it.

"You lost your father. She lost her husband. Anyone can change, after your partner death..."

Oikawa was silent. He felt so much pain that he made it his own, and forgot that his mother could suffer too. He felt so unprotected by his mother that he believed her to be a feelingless being.

"Look, I think you should sit down and talk about it. I know it's a delicate subject for all of you, but you have supported this weight for all these years. It is time for you, as well as your mother and sister, to get rid of him. You must speak it as a family, the three of you alone"

"I have no problem with my sister."

"Your mother has closed in on her feelings, you both have to talk to her. And you must vent. It will be good for you to have Yumi by your side, because she will serve to put peace between you and your mother. You are like two hurricanes about to collide, and you have a lot of resentment and repressed feelings"

"My mother is made of stone, Iwa-chan. If I speak to her, it will only be to reproach me for things"

"No one can last that long. Neither she nor you"

"I'll think about it…"


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time for some Tobio POV

They agreed to go to Tokyo at the end of classes, so that Hinata can finish the course in Miyagi. He and Tobio stayed together the whole time, longer than they were previously. They stayed to sleep at each other's house, played together until the sun went down, and even Hinata witnessed the birth of the lovebird chicks. Three birds were born to which they were named Timmy, in honour of the father bird, Shouyou and Natsu, like the Hinata siblings so that Tobio would remember them.

Iwaizumi and Oikawa accompanied him to his friend's house to say goodbye the day they were leaving. Akaashi and Bokuto were quite busy, coming and going with things to load in the car. Shouyou followed them, nervous and didn't see them arrive.

Tobio noticed a woman sitting in a wheelchair next to the car.

"Ah, Mama Hinata," he exclaimed, recognizing her from the hospital. At that time, she had just come out of the coma and was awake now. She was very pretty but she looked sad. Her eyes, which were the same as her children's, should look bright and they didn't.

"You must be the famous Tobi..." she muttered. She looked exhausted. In her arms, Natsu gurgled happily at the sight of the boy.

"Actually, it's Tobio," he corrected her. He looked at her for a moment, and came closer. "Why do you have to go...?"

"I must heal myself. If not, I will not be able to take care of my children. I don't like depending on others, so I will recover as soon as possible"

"But Hinata is my best friend..."

"I'm so sorry," Hyoko said honestly, stroking his cheek. "But I promise we will be back soon. Promise me that you will not cry, you will be a good patient child"

Tobio nodded. Then, Hinata appeared and immediately hugged him. Akaashi was after him, and although his nephew was still mad at him, at least he was a little more forgiving.

"Look, mom, this is Tobi!" He introduced him, taking him by the hand. "My setter, and the prince who woke you up."

"I-I'm not a prince..."

"I still think that the best kiss would be Dad's, but he hasn't come back…"

There was a ghostly silence.

"Koutaro" Akaashi broke the ice. The aforementioned stuck his head out the window in a second. Keiji gestured to him and Bokuto came out.

"Well!" He said, looking at the children. "How about you help me get Kenma to the car?"

"Okay!" said the two little ones. They took Bokuto's hands and the three of them went home to look for the cat.

"Oh yes, I forgot... The children's car seats." Akaashi said, realizing it, and turned to enter the building. "With so many things, I already forget what we have kept and what we haven't."

"Let me help you," Iwaizumi said, his hand on one shoulder.

"Thanks," and they both entered.

Oikawa stayed by the car, with the doors open it was better to watch. Natsu watched him closely and, when he smiled at her, she also did and raised her arms to him. It seemed that the girl was eager for attention, because her mother didn't pay much attention to her.

"Can I take her?" he asked, and got a shrug from her. Oikawa picked up the girl and took her into his arms, she smiled more when she saw how tall she was. He stroked her nose and played with her hair. "Well, what a happy girl you are."

Oikawa pampered her for a while making her laugh. Then he noticed the woman who had lowered her head long ago. She looked sad before, but now she was sadder. Surely, it was as a result of the boy's comment referring to his father.

"I know what happened to you, and I'm so sorry," he said seriously, she didn't react but listened. "I lived the same, my father died in an accident in which I was also. So, I understand what you are going through"

Hyoko raised her head a little to look at him, her gaze following him as he crouched down in front of her. He held the girl tightly with one arm and took the woman's hand.

"Your children are going to need you a lot, you must be there for them. Seek help whenever you need it. Don't do as I do and keep everything. Remember that you have a beautiful family with you, who will always support you"

She sighed and squeezed his hand. They looked into each other's eyes, the two seeing in each other the pain of death and the consequences of its passage. Hyoko raised her free hand and stroked his face.

"If you've been holding on all this time," she said softly. Her lips curved slightly, reminding Oikawa of Akaashi's delicate and wise gesture. "It’s time to release it at last"

Oikawa got up when the others arrived. Natsu now was on Akaashi's arms so that he could put her in his chair and tie her well inside the car. Afterward, they helped Hyoko get into the car. Cat Kenma meowed annoyed inside the cat flap. From upstairs, the neighbours’ black cat was heard meowing.

"Promise me that you will write to me every day," Hinata said to Tobio.

"I will do it!" The boy promised. "And you too"

"Make friends, okay? You can't be mad at all the other kids"

"It's okay…"

"And play volleyball a lot, I will too. Don't ever change of ace, huh? I'll be back."

"I'll never do it. And you don't change the setter. When you come back, I will give you some passes that you will freak out"

"Yes!" Hinata exclaimed, with a big smile. Then, he hugged his friend tightly. "I love you, Tobi. I will always, always, always love you"

"I also. You will always be my best friend, no matter what happens" He kissed him on the cheek and pulled away to watch him get into the car.

"Well, guys, goodbye time... I will miss you!" Bokuto said, hugging Oikawa and Iwaizumi at the same time. "Write a lot of articles about me!"

"Then deserve it by playing well," Oikawa urged. Bokuto nodded vigorously and undid the hug so that Akaashi could say goodbye.

"Good luck in Tokyo," said Iwaizumi.

"Surely. The same goes for you two"

"And you, little Blueberry," Bokuto said, looking at Tobio. "I hope that when you come to visit you will know how to count the +4 that I'm going to throw at Uno."

"Hinata and I will keep beating you!" Tobio exclaimed. Bokuto hooted and rushed to tickle him. He laughed until Akaashi was in front of them and they both calmed down.  
Akaashi bent down a little and kissed him on the cheek.

Tobio gasped in surprise and put his hands to his mouth. He blushed a lot, his crush had finally kissed him!

"Behave well, and grow a lot," Akaashi instructed. Tobio nodded without uttering a word and ran to his father's side to bury his face in his leg.

"Aah, who kissed you, Tobio-chan?" ˜ Oikawa scoffed, giving him little nudges. Tobio was embarrassed, but he was excited.

"Goodbye," Iwaizumi said goodbye to the two of them. Akaashi and Bokuto got into the car and drove away from there.

Tobio detached himself from his leg and ran a few meters following them and waving his hand. Hinata said goodbye, in turn, from the window.

"Bye, Tobi!"

"Bye, Hinata!" he stood up and continued to wave his hand. Then the car disappeared into a corner.

Tobio pouted until Iwaizumi clapped him on the back.

"Let's go home," and he took him by the hand.

He would be patient, he would wait for Hinata forever if necessary but...

Throughout the summer, his smile faded.

\---------time skip -------------

Summer passed very slowly. Summer camp was not the same without Hinata: Yachi insisted on watching them play, but Tobio and Tsukishima never ended up getting along. Each one went their own way and, in the end, they made her cry. The instructors had difficulties to calm her down and urged the two children to play together. But they ended up fighting.

September was presented as a new challenge for Tobio. It was like starting school for the first time, like when he was six years old and didn't know how to make friends. Hinata wasn't by his side, and it showed. Because of him, he had made friends. For him, he played with other children even if they didn't tolerate him. Because of him, he stayed in the park with the other children. Now, he doesn't know what will happen.

"Hey Oikawa, were you left alone?" Some of his classmates told him as soon as he entered class.

"Hinata-kun was the only one who could stand you..."

"You and Tsukishima should be friends, you are both equally grumpy."

Tobio ignored them for their sake. He sat in the chair and stared at the table, trying to ignore the ridicule of his colleagues. It was very difficult given his easily agitable nature. Tsukishima was in front  
of him, looking out the window.

"Very well, boys and girls, today we start a new course with great enthusiasm," said their teacher, to which Kei and Tobio sighed reluctantly. "We'll start by introducing yourselves, that's how I'll know you"

Tsukishima's turn was so brief that he was teased. But the boy, unperturbed, ignored them. Tobio was still impressed by his carefree attitude. He couldn't do it for that long.

"I am Tobio Oikawa..." he said shyly when it was his turn. "My birthday is in December and I really like playing volleyball"

"I'm sure he sucks," a boy whispered behind him. The teacher didn't hear him but Tobio did.

"I am better now than you will ever be."

"That's not the way to talk to your classmate!" the professor scolded him. "Sit down, and if it happens again I'll put a warning on you."

Tobio sat down and was angry all morning.

At lunchtime, the day got worse. Tobio usually sat with Hinata, obviously, but the boy always had a group of friends around him. The others loved Shouyou like plants to the sun, and Tobio stood next to him as if he had come as decoration. So there was no point in sitting with them if he didn't speak to them unless Hinata brought him into the conversation.

He had to find another place, but the tables were occupied. He trembled a little, the tray with his food was in danger so he had to calm down. He couldn't cause a stir if his tray fell, everyone would look at him.

Tsukishima wasn't around the dining room. But it's not that he was looking for him...

"Hey, you, go sit down," ordered a teacher who was watching the dining room. Her look of contempt reminded him a lot of what her mother did when she looked at him... As if he were a constant annoyance.

Tobio got scared and the tray he was carrying ended up falling.

"What are you doing?" The teacher snapped, and Tobio ran away from the dining room.

He wanted to find a place to be quiet, but there where he looked there were children playing after the meal. Was there no escape? He would have to go back to the dining room, where they would laugh at him...

In a corner, but, he found Tsukishima. He was finishing his meal, and nobody bothered him. Tobio didn't consider him a good company, far from it, but if Kei ignored him, then he would be calm. Little by little he came closer until he was by his side and sat down. Tsukishima was aware that he was there, but didn't say anything or look at him for a single moment.

Tobio was able to relax a little now that he had no one looking at him. He preferred Tsukishima's bitter silence to the annoying giggles of his companions.

It took a long while for Kei to finish his meal. Tobio had been unable to eat anything, so his guts were roaring for food. He refused to go back to the dining room, but he was hungry. Suddenly, he wanted to cry.

Tsukishima cleared his throat.

"I don't know why they insist on putting milk on me, if I don't tolerate it well..." he said, pushing the milk carton away from its tray. He left it on the floor, next to Tobio. He fixed his glasses and got up to leave.

Tobio took the cardboard, incredulous. He remembered seeing Kei drinking milk at summer camp, had Tsukishima left it there for him to drink? Anyway, he didn't hesitate any longer and immediately drank it.

When he had squeezed it in a thousand ways so as not to waste a drop, Iwaizumi appeared.

"What are you doing here alone?" He asked, crouching down in front of the boy. "Shouldn't you be in the dining room?"

"I dropped the tray..." he replied embarrassed.

"Go ask for another one, they always have food left over."

"But I'm going to be late for classes..."

"I'll make you an exculpatory. Come on, you can't go without eating"

Tobio nodded reluctantly, but got up and entered the dining room. There were not many children left there anymore, most had finished and they were already entering the classrooms. The only ones that were still there were the slowest at eating, but Tobio wasn't slow at lunchtime so he sat down after asking for a new tray and ate quickly. He brushed his teeth just as quickly and ran to class.

"Excuse me..." he muttered to the professor, for being late.

"Sit down"

Tobio obeyed and observed his class. The other children had gathered in groups and there was a lot of fuss. He didn't quite know what it was about. The teacher had told him that it was a group job and he had to go with one, but Tobio didn't know who to go with.

Hinata would have found him a group.

"Hey you," someone said to him, Tobio immediately turned to the voice. He was a dark-haired boy with spiky hair. "Do you have a group? We are only two and we lack people"

"Oh no, I have no group..." he murmured. Someone had taken him into account! The boy and his partner, another boy with straight black hair, were waiting for his answer. "Yes, I can come, well yes... if you want to."

"Do you know if someone can come too? The teacher said that we had to be four"

"Um..." He looked at the class again and noticed Tsukishima. He looked at them askance, but it seemed he was alone.

Tobio remembered his gesture in leaving the milk and said to himself that he should return it. Tsukishima was also alone, so they were in the same boat.

"He. He has no group” he told them.

"Don't speak for me," Kei snapped bitterly, but they moved the tables together and he ended up joining them.

The teacher told them that they would keep the group the same for the first quarter, so Tobio was already doing well. He wouldn't have to look for other children who wanted to work with him, and he was deeply grateful that the two boys had asked him first. It was easier that way, and Kindaichi and Kunimi seemed quite oblivious to the teasing Kei and Tobio suffered.

He thought that maybe he could survive without Hinata...

Weeks passed after the start of classes, the jokes continued. Although he had a working group, he didn't dare speak to them beyond that because he didn't know whether to treat them as friends. Kei didn't talk to him beyond academic things either, and the other children had started throwing balls of paper at him, stealing some pencils, or laughing every time they asked him something or went to the blackboard.

Today they had to make a collage in a group, so they had brought cardboard and magazines to cut out. Occasionally Tobio would find a piece of paper hooked on his sweater or backpack and he would sulk.

"Ah, look," he said to his group, looking in a magazine. "My dad wrote this."

He showed them his father's name by signing an article. That cheered him up. But the others didn't agree very much on seeing him happy, because his victim couldn't be happy.

"Oh, at least he has a dad who does something." it was heard from a nearby table. "Wasn't he the one with the mother in prison?"

"It's none of your business," Tobio told them, although his co-workers preferred that he leave them alone.

"Oh no! She hasn't entered yet, because she's crazy, right?" Another boy added. "Well, many things are understood now..."

"What are you implying?"

"Leave them," those in his group told him, but Tobio had already stung.

"Are you that weird because your mom doesn't love you?"

"Shut up!"

"Or what?"

Tobio picked up his case and held it up, ready to toss it to him and hit him all over the head but the teacher saw it prematurely.

"Hey, hey, what were you going to do with that?" The teacher stopped him. "Give me your planner, you've earned a notice. There are several times that I see you bothering your colleagues"

Tobio couldn't defend himself, because the teacher hadn't heard the other children making fun of him. Why was he always caught and not the others who laughed?

"You should learn to ignore them," Tsukishima told him, with an air of intelligence.

"How easy do you make it sound…"

At the end of classes, Iwaizumi asked him about going to the park, which Tobio refused. There was no point in going without Hinata, he got along better with Yamaguchi and Yachi. Furthermore, Tsukishima only went there to be with Tadashi.

Although he was also alone outside of school, he had a friend to hang out with and spend the afternoon with. But Tobio no.

"Hey, are you okay?" Iwaizumi asked, seeing him withered. Tobio shrugged his shoulders. "Come on, tell me it"

"They put a notice on my planner ... I was going to throw a case at one classmate..."

"We have told you thousands of times that you can't throw things at your colleagues"

"He called me weird."

"Then ignore him. But don't throw things at them, or they will scold you"

Good. Tsukishima first and now Iwaizumi. How could they be easily ignored? They are laughing at him all the time, and Tobio is running out of patience with them. When he got home, he ran looking for his father. Maybe he can tell him something other than ignore...

"I have to tell you something," said Oikawa, before the boy got to where he was. "There are good news. Or so I think"

"What happens?" Iwaizumi asked, sitting next to him. Oikawa smiled.

"After rejecting the trip to Korea, I thought they wouldn't give me another report like this... but they have. I will be the a journalist for the Tokyo tournament"

"Seriously? That's great!"

"Yes, I will have to leave next week to prepare everything from there."

"Wow, wait, that was fast. When will you be away?"

"About fifteen days."

"Eh...?" Tobio interrupted them. "Dad, where are you going?"

"I'm going to Tokyo, in a volleyball tournament, do you want to c...?"

"No!" he exclaimed, cutting him off. Tobio looked scared, and Oikawa couldn't react. "No, dont go!"

"It will only be two weeks, it's because of work…"

"Not! Why do you all have to go!?"

"Tobio-chan, listen to me..."

"I hate Tokyo!" and he ran to his room.

Tokyo, that damn city had taken his best friend and now he would with his father. Everyone told him they would return to Miyagi, but he was no longer so sure of that. Hinata was gone and not for a few days ... His father could do the same. Would Iwa-chan tell him tomorrow that he is leaving too?"

"Have I done something wrong?" Oikawa said to himself when he saw the boy's reaction.

"It's your job, you can't just say no whenever you feel like it"

"But... maybe this isn't the time. Tobio-chan looked angry"

"It's only two weeks, he will be okay. And you, enjoy the trip and your profession. It's what you need. But there is a small problem"

"About what?"

"The sixth graders are going on a trip. And, well, I'm one of the teachers that will go with them. So, there will be three days when I'm not here"

"And Tobio can't be left alone..." Iwaizumi nodded, Oikawa was thoughtful. "My sister is pregnant, it would be hard for her to take care of him. And your parents?"

"They are going on a trip to Thailand, now it has given them to travel a lot. Although I do not blame them, well they deserve it, but just in those days..."

"What do we do? I cannot take him to Tokyo, he has classes to attend and he cannot stay alone in the hotel all day"

"And your mother?"

"Ah no" the brunet replied dryly.

"Ask her, at least. Tobio has to stay with someone, it will only be three days. The rest he will be with me"

"Weeeeell, it's okay. I will call her…"

Oikawa wished her mother to say she couldn't because he didn't feel like leaving the boy with her. But Junko agreed to have him, and Oikawa could not refuse.

\-------time skip-------

Tobio decided that the anger would last a lifetime. During the days when Oikawa was at home before leaving for Tokyo, he didn't speak to him despite the fact that his father had thrown tantrums for the boy to listen to him. But nothing. He only received his angry pout.

Now, he was also angry with Iwaizumi when he told him that he would go with his grandmother for a few days. He had hardly seen her, and he had already had bad times with people whom he didn't know and who forced him to leave.

"Come on, Tobio, don't be mad," Iwa told him, but the boy frowned more. "It is three days. They need me on the trip"

"I need you more than those sixth graders!" Iwaizumi sighed deeply, remembering whose son he was.

Nothing the child said could help the adults to give up their responsibilities. Iwaizumi said goodbye to him at school, before meeting with the other teachers who accompanied him on the trip. Tobio was still pouting when the teachers left.

Then he ran into his class. If the other children saw that his Iwa-chan wasn't at school, their teasing would increase.

At recess Tobio played alone. He bounced the ball against the wall so that it would return and he could make the corresponding movement. Normally, he played with Hinata but now it was different. It was more complicated, but he thought he would go well because that way he focused more.

But apparently they wouldn't let him. A soccer ball slammed into the boy's back, who staggered forward about to fall.

"You're in the middle!" the children said, who were playing with the ball.

It wasn't true, Tobio had chosen a little corner to play.

"You distracted me and I lost the ball," Tobio replied in the same bad tone. He went to get the ball, but the children followed him. "Go play your soccer shit and leave me alone."

Tobio used insult. He believed that they would see that he wasn't easy to deal with and that they couldn't cope with him. But it turned out to have the opposite effect, the kids found it funny.

"Your game really sucks. You are playing alone. Or what happens is that you don't have anyone to play with?!"

"Yes, that must be it. Only Hinata-kun endured him"

"How could you be friends? With how good and friendly Hinata is, and you..."

"Yes, you should have gone, not him."

Until now, Tobio had not considered the differences between him and his friend. For him, Hinata was an extraordinary being who made friends. And nothing more. There were no comparisons, in his children's minds there was only room for play and fun. Now, the differences were arriving little by little.

Hinata was likeable. He wasn't.

Hinata was outgoing. He wasn't.

Hinata made friends. He didn't.

Hinata was loved.

He wasn't.

"Now what? You will cry?" Tobio didn't want to, but his eyes burned. The children laughed at him and shoved him a couple of times. One of them managed to throw him to the ground. Tobio managed to get up immediately and run away from there.

But they were chasing him.

Tobio was scared. He didn't know which teacher to go to. If Iwaizumi were there, it would only be enough to stay near him to be left alone, but Iwa-chan was gone. Who could he look for? His teacher, who never saw how they made fun of him? Another teacher who didn't even deign to look at that area of the school yard?"

He felt cornered. Even if he was faster than them, they kept following him and yelling things at him. Nor could he mislead them because, although the schoolyard was large, it was still a closed area.

He thought he might hide in the toilets. He ran there and closed the door as soon as he entered. The children, from outside, began to struggle trying to open it. Tobio didn't want to lose that battle, but they were four and he was only one. So they ended up opening it and he slipped on the wet floor.

"Let's see, how you cry!" He heard before being shaken.

Tobio slipped out of his arms and leaned back. He wasn't going to cry, at least not in front of them. He tried to ignore them, as Iwaizumi or Tsukishima told him, but they didn't let him pass and they kept him more and more cornered. He was clearly intimidated, like that time...

Like the time his mother got angry and started chasing him. When she pulled him by the arm and they left the house. When he defended himself and ended up being thrown out in the street. Tobio felt very small compared to the other children.

He collided with the taps, with an elbow hit one opened and wet his arm. The children held him to keep him from leaving, insisting that he cry and how weird and annoying he was. Being four, they were able to lift him enough to get his back wet. They left him holding him like this, to get him completely wet and Tobio, looking so trapped, finally began to cry.

"Leave me alone!" he screamed. With a sudden movement, he kicked the first one he found, which released him holding the affected area. Tobio didn't know who or what he had hit, he was losing track of time, but he was suddenly released.

He was alone. The children were gone and he was in the middle of a puddle of water, his wet clothes were uncomfortable. Tobio didn't know that the children had fled away when he had started screaming, because a teacher could come. And he came, but late.

"What happened here? What have you done?" the teacher told him. Tobio was still too scared to respond. "We'll lend you some gym clothes."

Tobio followed the teacher with his head down and his shoulders hunched. He had not caused the disaster in the bathroom, it was caused by the children who pushed and wet him, but he couldn't say it. He was scared. He wanted his parents there and his best friend to hug him. But no.

Hinata was gone. His father too. Iwa-chan too... Who had left?

The rest of the day was spent with borrowed gym clothes. His uniform was in a plastic bag, and his mood didn't improve at all. He kept looking at the ground or anywhere other than a person. Much less a child. He felt lonely and unprotected, and he wanted to leave that place as soon as possible.

His grandmother appeared on time. Tobio stayed by his side, in silence, as they explained what had happened in the bathrooms. Junko didn't ask the boy anything, just listened to what the teacher said. Every time he spent with her, the boy tensed more and more. He was going away again with someone he had barely seen... Was she just like his mother? Would she like him or ignored him too. Would she talk to him or kick him out of the house?

"Tobio," she called when they were home. The boy stood still, without looking at her. "Tell me what happened."

Tobio shrugged his shoulders. On the one hand, he wanted to run to hug her and cry, but on the other hand, no.

"Sit down and tell me," Junko said, somewhat dry. Actually, she didn't want to treat him harshly but she always had that tone already. Tobio, keeping his head down, sat down on the sofa. "And well?"

"Some children chased me and wet me..."

"Then it wasn't you, who messed up the bathroom?" Tobio shook his head. "Why haven't you told your teacher?"

Tobio just shrugged.

"Have they done that to you other times?"

"T-the bathroom thing, no... But they do laugh at me..."

"What do they tell you?"

"T-they say I'm weird..." Then, Tobio raised his head and looked at her. "Am I weird…?"

Junko truly believed that nothing could hit her heart anymore. She thought that all sad feelings rebounded, or so she had wanted to show. But seeing the big eyes of the boy shining with tears, seeing his sad, hurt and scared face, she felt his body and soul shrink.

"No" she said. "You are a good boy, who should not listen to what others say"

”How do you do that…?”

"You must make yourself strong and make them see that nothing they do can harm you. Impose yourself. Nothing can disturb you. You are strong, and you must show it"

Tobio considered it. Maybe if he hit them hard, the nonsense would stop. But what did being strong really mean? He thought his parents were. They looked strong and he felt safe with them. But he remembered his father crying scared, and he wasn't so sure. That an adult like his father collapsed and was scared like that left him with a strong feeling of insecurity. Although he didn't understand that it was normal for Oikawa to get upset like that when a car almost ran him over.

He looked at his grandmother again. Of the few times he had seen her, he always had her as a very serious woman. But she wasn't serious as her mother was when she looked at him with contempt. Junko looked so sure of herself that she did seem indestructible to him. Like the super heroines of the movies!

"Do you love me…?" he ended up asking him. If she had someone like her by his side, he couldn't fear anything.

"Yes"

There was no trace of doubt and Tobio smiled slightly. Then he hugged her. Her grandmother hesitated a little but ended up putting a hand on his head and stroking his fine hair.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're reaching the end!

Oikawa returned to Miyagi quite happy. The tournament had been exciting and he felt that he had been extraordinary as a journalist. He was sure that with that, his work would gain more recognition... and maybe, who knows, he'd earn a promotion. And if they didn't, at least he had a good time.

It was as if now, at last, he could enjoy his work.

He threw himself into his partner's arms as soon as he saw him waiting for him at the station. Iwaizumi smiled shyly at him, the tips of his ears red from the sudden gesture of public affection.

"You look so good that I don't have to ask how it went," Iwaizumi commented.

"It was great," Oikawa said, pampering him on the nose. Then, he spread his arms to look at his son. "Tobio-chan!"

Oikawa froze when his son didn't turn to look at him. He looked at nothing with a bored gesture. Tobio always received him with hugs and shouts of joy, but now he ignored him. Oikawa sought the gaze of his partner, he didn't understand what was happening.

"Tobio, aren't you going to say hello to your father?"

Tobio seemed to wake up, but didn't smile or hug him.

"Hello"

Oikawa thought he was hallucinating. Where was his sweet boy? What was that indifference?

"Let's go to the car..." Iwaizumi said. Tobio nodded and started walking without further ado. Iwaizumi took Oikawa's hand and squeezed it. He knew perfectly well that this had been shocking to Tooru.

"What happens…?" He murmured.

"I don't know, these days he has been very distant. He doesn't talk much to me, either, since I came home from the school trip"

"With you too?"

"Yes. I tried to ask him what was wrong, but he doesn't tell me anything. He just shrugs or doesn't answer me directly. Although he does talk to your mother"

"What?"

"He calls her almost every day. I don't know what they are talking about, because it seems that your mother does it more than he does. Tobio just listens"

"Okay, this is weirder than I thought... If he only talks to my mother and is with us like this, do you think this is her fault?"

"I don't know. I don't want to suspect her like that either, but Tobio is getting worse. What is true is that something is wrong"

Oikawa kept looking at his son. He had never felt such rejection, he always looked at him with such adoration ... If his mother was behind that behaviour, it was time to get things straight. He couldn't allow his son to get ignore him now.

So the next day he went to his mother's house to ask her for explanations. If she was the problem, he would solve it. If not, he would need to look for more. The point was to find out why his son ignored him and seemed unhappy with them.

"Tooru, I wasn't expecting you," his mother said genuinely.

"I wouldn't have come if it weren't important."

"What happens?" His mother stepped aside to let him into the house.

"Well, I'm going to get down to business. What are you talking about with Tobio-chan so much?"

"I am his grandmother, I have the right to speak to him."

"Since I came back from the trip, Tobio-chan ignores me and rejects me. Iwa-chan told me that recently, you talk a lot on the phone. What are you talking about?"

"If you're implying that I have turned him against you, you are very wrong. As usual"

"It seems like. Tell me, what are you talking about?"

"Tobio tells me about his day to day, nothing more"

"Nothing else? He has never treated us this way"

"I'm just giving him advice."

"Advice? Your advice hurts, mom. They are more recriminations than advice"

Junko sighed angrily.

"Your son is a victim of the jokes from his peers. Jokes that aren't innocent at all"

"What…?"

"Oh, didn't you know? Your son has been sad because they laugh at him at school. He feels lonely and needs someone to listen to him and be with him"

"We have always been with him! He hasn't told us anything"

"No, you weren't when the thing started getting worse."

"We were working"

"And I told him that."

"How, exactly...?" Oikawa knew first-hand that his mother's advices were too abrupt.

"Well, I told him the truth. That you were working, and that it was your obligation. So you couldn't be with him"

"Ah, there you spoiled everything! You can't tell him that..."

"Why? It's true. You can't put your job aside, it's important"

"You should have added that I love him, at least. Now he will think that I care more about my work than him and that is not true. Tobio-chan needs love, now more than ever"

"And it coincides with having to travel for work. There are things in this life that require sacrifice, and you can't stop working"

"Tobio is my biggest concern! He's not a sacrifice..."

"Tooru, you must be realistic. You are an adult and you must understand it, you need to work because if you don't, you don't have money. And if you don't have money, you can't take care of your child. 

And Tobio must also begin to understand that. Reality is harsh, but it is inevitable"

"You are so cruel that I can't believe you… We need realism, it's true, but you don't need to give it without stopping to think about the person in front of you. You always have done it… you have always made me believe that I was a bad son when I needed you most. And now I don't want you to do the same to your grandson"

"I never said you were a bad son."

"You made me look like this... Nothing I did seemed right to you. And you highlighted everything bad every time you had a chance. That I was a hollow head, that I was selfish, that I was unbearable, that I was a lost case, that I should stopped bothering..."

"You were young and as such you were wrong. I only made you see it, that's how you grew up"

"Mrs. Iwaizumi made me see my mistakes better than you do, you know?" At that, Junko tensed. "Oh, does it bother you that another woman was a better mother to me than you? It bothers you that Iwa-chan and his family treated me better than you should have..."

"I am your mother, above anyone else. But you were always with them..."

"I am your mother, above anyone else. But you were always with them..."

"I needed you. I was devastated, mom... and I didn't find refuge with you. I found it with the Iwaizumis. Iwa-chan accompanied me during the nights when I re-lived the accident in dreams. His father helped me overcome the fear of getting into a car, and thanks to him I can now drive when before I had real panic attacks. His mother supported me, hugged me, congratulated me when I did things, advised me about my future, comforted me like no one else… How do you want me not to go with them?"

"What are you saying? You were always foolish and laughing at everything. You didn't take anything seriously"

"Let me introduce you to my mask... Only they knew how I really felt, and are still with me now."

"I thought you didn't respect your father's memory..."

"Well, you are wrong. It completely destroyed me and… I'm still destroyed. I couldn't get over it... I-I couldn't get over that accident, as I had to scream for help with my father dead on me because he had protected me..."

"You think you're the only one who has suffered... My husband died from a drunk driver. I could have lost my son too… You have no idea how horrible it was to see you in the hospital bed with all those bandages" Junko was no longer made of stone. Now her shoulders trembled and her face had contracted in pain.

"And why did you treat me that way, if it was so horrible?! Why didn't you hug me, why didn't you tell me everything would be fine...? Why didn't you comfort me...?"

"I tried! I tried to keep educating you, I tried to go on without Kyo... But you were very inconsiderate, and you still are"

"I just wanted love! I felt very lonely without you, and I was lucky to have Iwa-chan by my side"

"Do you think I didn't cry to your father? Do you think you're the only one who's hurt by that? You have not stopped to think that I, or your sister, also suffer. Why do you think Yumi had her son so soon? She also needed love, after her father's death."

Oikawa wanted to reply, but something caught in his throat and only a sob came out. He was the one who was in the passenger seat, he was the one who was singing with his father until the drunk bastard came and hit them, he was very conscious after the hit and he saw everything, he felt his body hurt and he was screaming tearing... So, he felt that he had the most right to suffer.

But it was true. He remembered Yumi hugging him while crying… She was no longer living with them when the accident happened, so he didn't see her suffer alone. He completely forgot her. And her mother too.

Oikawa dropped onto the sofa, defeated.

"It hurts, right? See that your son rejects you..." his mother released him.

"I always treated him with love, I have always listened and played with him… I never turned my back on him, I protected him with my life…"

"He's afraid you will abandon him like her."

"I never would!"

"And I never stopped loving you."

For the first time in many years they dared to look each other in the eye.

Junko didn't know that her son had suffered so much, because he was hardly ever home. When her husband died, she was alone with a twelve-year-old boy and she had to become strong to continue caring for him. It got out of hand when she refused to feel, but she thought it necessary. Otherwise, she would have sunk.

When Tooru left home, she felt more alone than ever. She had not been able to correct their relationship. Because off not showing feelings, she lost her son. Learning of his panic attacks and trauma like that made her feel so bad that it hurt.

It hurt like never before.

And she started crying. Everything that had been stored inside suddenly came out and she couldn't control it. She approached her son and stroked his face. It had been a long time since they touched, the two fled from the contact of the other.

"I thought I was doing the right thing... I was very afraid of losing you, and it was the only thing I got..." Junko sobbed and more tears fell.

"M-Mom, I..." Tooru closed his eyes at his mother's caress. Recognizing the familiar gesture she had received so much before the accident, his eyes immediately followed her mother's. "I-I can't do this, mom... I have trouble continuing. Help me…"

Oikawa was ashamed that, as an adult, he had to run into his mother's arms and cry in fear. But he only had support from Iwaizumi and, although he owed him his entire life, having the embrace of his mother, the most precious person, meant absolute support.

It was Junko who started the hug, and his son returned him immediately.

"I love you, Tooru. I always have, and I won't stop doing it… I just want the best for you."

They cried together, letting go for the first time in years. Tooru cried like a lost and wounded twelve-year-old boy, Junko cried like a mother crying for her son's suffering. So they stayed a long time until they decided it was time to go. They would drop the subject for today, because they both needed a good rest after that explosion of feelings.

Upon arrival home, Oikawa threw himself into the arms of Iwaizumi, who was awake in bed. Iwaizumi noticed him exhausted, so he hugged him tightly until Oikawa spoke.

"I talked to my mother... just like you said."

"How you feel?"

"I am exhausted"

"It's normal." Iwaizumi caressed his cheek, where he saw the reddish trail of his recent tears. "But do you feel it was for the best?"

"I think so. And my mother, I suppose, it did well too... We both realized many things about each other"

"You needed it. Did she tell you something about Tobio?"

"Yes… He's having a hard time at school. He didn't tell us anything..."

"It must be hard on him, but I'll try to keep a good watch so no one makes fun of him. Although I only have him in PE, I will ask to watch the playground at recess to avoid it.

"My Poor boy… My mother told me that he ignores me because he's afraid that I will leave him. Can you believe it…? Me, abandon him?"

"Don't take it into account. He loves you, and that's why he doubts. We must help him, make him understand that we love him, and that with us nothing bad will happen to him"

"I know, and I will. But..." Iwaizumi waited. Oikawa needed to find the right words to express himself well. "I don't know, Iwa-chan... What if I haven't done it well? What if I haven't given him enough love? What if I haven't been enough...? I... I was like her, Iwa-chan. I rejected him and ignored him. I was like Suzuki... what if I still am?"

"No, never" Iwaizumi sounded abrupt, but it had to be or Oikawa wasn't going to attend. He looked into his eyes. "It is true that, at first, you didn't want him because you were afraid. But immediately you wanted him and took care of him. You grew up suddenly. I still remember how you fought with the neighbour because he complained about the baby's cries"

"He really was a nuisance. What was a baby going to do but cry?"

"Sure, and you defended him almost to death. And how happy you were when he smiled at you the first time? And when he called you Dad? And every time he got sick and you took care of him. Your stories that he liked so much, your nonsense to make him laugh. When you helped him with his homework and he proudly told me that you were very smart. When Suzuki appeared and you fought for him. When you protected him with your life... What is all this for you, Tooru?"

"I-I don't know. I-I have tried, I have tried to be a good father to him..."

"And you are. Tobio is sad now, but I'm sure we can get out of this. Tobio has been a happy boy, and it is thanks to you. You will never be like Suzuki. You are a good father. An incredible one. A super dad"

"For real?" Oikawa sobbed, but this time it was not sadness but emotion. Iwaizumi nodded, very sure and Oikawa didn't doubt his word. "Iwa-chan... I love you so much..."

"I love you too, Tooru."


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We have two more chapters left!

From then on, Oikawa and his mother tried to understand each other better and were able to get along. Their relationship hadn't reached the same point they had before the accident, but at least they tolerated each other and didn't argue for trivialities. Junko had agreed to get along better with the Iwaizumis, and resume the friendship they once had. With them, it was easier because they didn't reproach her for anything.

Tooru was relieved. With so many years accumulating things, until now he hadn't realized the weight that his heart kept. Now he could breathe easy, the day to day was more bearable and Iwaizumi could worry less about his moods. The nightmares were still there, but they rarely attacked him considering the terrifying ones he had in the past. Now it was just awkward dreams that didn't wake him screaming in the middle of the night.

But the Tobio affair didn't improve at all. Iwaizumi and Oikawa tried to make him understand that he was loved, but the boy was still apathetic. If they asked him how he felt or tried to get him to talk about his problems, he didn't know how to do it. At school, they kept laughing at him and insulting him, until he ended up hitting one of the kids. With that, they left him a bit alone, but he gained more criticism and rumours.

No one played with him or spoke to him. And Hinata hadn't yet returned to Miyagi when he finished primary school.

Upon entering middle school, Tsukishima went to another school to be with Yamaguchi, and Tobio was even more alone. Not that the two of them were friends, but seeing that someone else was in the same situation as him made him feel a little more understood. In middle school he was alone in the middle of a jungle of disapproving looks, whispers and mocking giggles. Tobio stared back at them, darker and darker so they would leave him alone.

There, Iwaizumi couldn't help him at all. The hours of recess were spent running away from others, and to whom he approached he would make a hurtful comment so that they would leave him alone. Yes, he felt lonely but at the same time he wanted to be.

He stopped calling and writing to Hinata. Over time he realized that he would have friends to be with, and that he had stayed in the background. Because who wouldn't do that?

He didn't pay attention to class lessons. Volleyball had become a distraction-free haven, making homework and exams were irrelevant to him. It was very similar to an obsession, Tobio played to stop feeling so unhappy. At least, the club's workouts were better than in primary school, so he could fully squeeze out all of his qualities, which were many. But there were also people there, and therefore he was also a victim of rejection.

And so, he rejected them too. Anyway, nobody was good enough to play with him.

If no one made the effort to speak to him even politely, he wouldn't either. If someone treated him badly, he would treat him the same way. If a classmate looked at him in disgust, he would look at him twice. If anyone laughed at him... he just ignored. He had learned how to do it.

To his teachers, he was only the lonely Tobio Oikawa. Also, he was so susceptible to any comment, that he thought they were teasing even if they were only talking to him about some duties. For this reason, there was no one who made an attempt to get along with him, and they saw him as an unstable king who condemns anyone who bothers him.

"See you tomorrow!" A voice was heard, followed by laughter. Tobio turned, thinking that the laughs were for him, but no. The group was talking among themselves, and they hadn't seen him.

How frustrating is to think that everyone laughs at you.

Tobio put on headphones, he had seen how Tsukishima did it to ignore the others and it seemed like a good idea. He put his hands in his uniform pockets and left the institute.

His steps were quick, because before he had been chased down the street until he got into the doorway of his house. Now they let him go in peace, but there was still that tension when walking down the street.

He crossed the park in which he had played so many times. Tsukishima and Yamaguchi went there every afternoon, together. They didn't play like before, they just sat on a bench and talked. Tobio never knew of what. Yachi was sometimes there too and saw him from afar, and although the girl wanted him to come, he never did.

He was slow to hear some screaming. At first, he tensed a lot. Could be other boys insulting him, telling him how hated he was by everyone... He turned up the volume of his music a bit.

"Tobi!" the voice shouted. When the song ended, he heard it perfectly. He stopped the music player and listened again. "Toooobi"

There was only one person who called him that.

Hinata was running towards him. Was it a mirage?

"Tobi!" Hinata yelled again, seeing that he had finally turned away. Tobio gave a huge gasp when he realized that it was indeed him.

Tobio began to run in his direction. They both screamed as when they were children and greeted each other like that, out of pure joy. Hinata jumped into his arms, due to the inertia Tobio made a 360 degree turn and Shouyou stayed clinging to him like a koala.

"You're here..." Tobio gasped. His hug strengthened, feeling him as if he were just another extension of his body. His scent, his warmth, his body, his laughter... They were there. Hinata was there.

"Yes! We've just arrived. I was going to your house, but when passing through here I have seen you from afar" Hinata wore a splendid smile as he returned to the ground. "Damn, you're so tall!"

"You don't seem to have grown up."

"Hey, that was cruel!" Hinata pouted, which soon turned back to a smile. He couldn't be mad at his best friend. "I missed you"

Tobio stared at him. He still had bright eyes, that orange hair that made him want to mess up, his beautiful smile...

"And me to you too..."

It was like seeing the sun after months of flood.

"Let's go home, Mom will like to see you," Hinata insisted, taking him by the arm. He couldn't stop touching or hugging him. His friend, his Tobi, was finally with him.

Tobio nodded overwhelmed. He was not used to being touched and caressed in such a way, he had not hugged or shaken anyone in a long time. It was like playing with him as if he had never left. He had him there...

"Mom, I'm bringing Tobi!" Hinata exclaimed upon arrival. They had returned to their old apartment, and Tobio felt at home.

Hyoko appeared in the hall. She walked perfectly and smiled at him, so friendly that Tobio saw Hinata as a woman.

"Tobio, look at you! You've grown a lot” Hyoko said, stroking his cheek. "You are very tall and very handsome."

"Eh... h-thank you..." Tobio blushed at the comment. Hinata took him by the arm again and took him indoors.

"Tobi-nii!" Natsu yelled, seeing him. She ran to him and hung on his waist.

"Natsu...?" He asked, not quite sure. He remembered her as a baby.

"The one and only! Shouyou and I were making paper puppets to represent Little Red Riding Hood to Mom. Come you too and help us"

"Okay..." Tobio was dragged by the two Hinata.

With all the years he hadn't seen them, he had a hard time adjusting. He was so excited to see them again, that he sometimes forgot how to speak. But despite the nerves, Tobio had a better time than ever.

"Do you want to stay for dinner, Tobio? We will make homemade pizzas" said the mother. Tobio shrugged, though the idea of pizza was appetizing. "Oh, don't worry about your parents, they know where you are."

"It's okay"

"Tobi, let's see who makes the best pizza of the two!" Hinata challenged him.

"You've already lost, Hinata!" and the two went straight to the kitchen in search of the ingredients.

Hyoko laughed. Her two children and Tobio made a big fuss when they started piling up the ingredients for the pizzas, and they left everything messed up, but she didn't complain. Hearing their laughter was better than anything in the world.

"Tobi!" Hinata exclaimed, still with pizza in his mouth. "I hope you continued playing volleyball."

"I have never stopped," he replied, also with his mouth full.

"Kids, eat and then talk," Hyoko told them, to which the two boys swallowed and continued talking.

"They've all been awful players."

"Well, you have me now! Tomorrow we go to the park to play"

"Yes!"

As soon as they were done, Shouyou and Natsu set off the table and cleaned the kitchen. By Hyoko's order, Tobio stayed with her because he was the guest.

"Well, how have you been?" She asked, to which Tobio just shrugged. When he didn't know what to answer, he always made that gesture. "Are you doing well in school?"

"Yeah..." He left the topic there. "What high school will Hinata go to? To mine?"

He hoped Hinata would study with him so he wouldn't be alone in high school. Only half the year was left, and it was better to spend it with his best friend than alone and bitter.

"I'm sorry. I had to find one that would accept him mid-course, the others asked to wait for the next course"

"Oh..." he muttered, defeated.

"But he said he wants to go to high school with you, so I suppose you will meet there."

"Oh yeah!" His spirits rose. The Hinatas had that ability.

"Shouyou hasn't stopped talking about you in all these years. I'm glad you met again… I'm sorry I took so long to come back, but it took more time than I thought"

"I... I-I missed him. But now he's here" And Tobio was fine with that.

She clearly saw that the boy was a little down, even though he had reunited with her son. She knew immediately that something had happened to him, but she was sure he would get over it because her Shouyou would be able to cheer him up. He did it with herself, her two suns were her support and they would also be for Tobio.

Tobio lay down on his bed somewhat dejected. He had felt too many sensations again at once, and he was exhausted. Seeing Hinata again was getting some warmth back in his life, but he still hadn't quite felt happy.

Because there was one point still left to deal with, and it was his loneliness. It was many years being alone and without anyone who loved him (in his point of view), and now it would be difficult to trust someone again. Hinata had all his love and more, but it was clear that he had changed. Tobio wasn't the same from when he was ten years old, and he was sure that Hinata wasn't either.

What would happen if Hinata stopped being his friend? What if he got tired or saw how useless he was to talk to others? Hinata was so outgoing that he would surely play and talk to him, but he would also make friends. Friends who wouldn't be as weird as him.

He had a hard time sleeping. The joy of seeing his best friend had been exchanged for fear.

\----------time skip-----------

Tobio didn't remember a moment as calm as that in his life. The soft spring air caressed his bangs, but it didn't bother him at all. There were birds chirping around him, and the sun's rays warmed him without being excessive. He kept his eyes closed, allowing himself to be enveloped by the pleasant silence that the countryside was giving him.

Very few times could he be deactivated from the real world, one of them was playing and the other was at that time. Now he wasn't afraid, didn't feel that he would be abandoned or considered a nuisance. He didn't feel anything, but it wasn't apathy. It was pure relaxation.

Hinata was by his side, lying with him on the grass of the hill. The two of them had gone to the outskirts of the city to play and were resting. But Hinata was quite restless and immediately sat up.

"Hey, Tobi, why did you stop calling and writing me?" Hinata didn't ask him spitefully, but he needed to know. Tobio opened his eyes, but didn't reply. He wasn't sure what to say to him, so he shrugged. "Stop doing that and tell me"

"I don’t know…"

"Yes, you know" Hinata jumped on him and forced him to look at him. "Why?"

"Nothing that matters to you," he suddenly released, Tobio felt pressured and didn't tolerate it well.

"And now what bites you? You are always angry, and I don't know why. Have I done something?"

"Yes. You left"

"Why are you taking it with me? I did nothing. Besides, it was you who stopped talking to me. I should be mad!"

"What difference does it make to you, if you surely had friends to attend to before me?"

Hinata pulled away from him and looked at him hurt. Tobio turned his back on him. That's it, he had already talked too much and ended up hurting him. He was an idiot that deserved to be alone.

"That's not true, Tobi. W-well, I had friends but none of them went before you. You are my best friend, you will always go before"

"Why would you want to continue being my friend?"

"What's wrong with you?" You aren't the Tobi I remember..."

"Yes, yes I am!" Tobio sat up, angry. "I'm still the useless child who doesn't know how to make friends!"

"Yachi told me you stopped going to the park with them. You did had friends..."

"Well, look, I don't know how to keep them either. I owed it all to you, and you left. And now I am alone"

"If it bothers you so much to be alone why did you stop talking to me? I told you about everything in my messages, those that you never answered me. You could have done the same"

"You wouldn't understand…"

"What, wouldn't I understand?"

"What it is to be a constant nuisance."

Tobio had enough, he didn't want to get into the subject or he would end up feeling worse. His quiet moment had finally been destroyed again by his own attitude. Surely now Hinata would leave, wouldn't speak to him anymore and ignore him. Or he would laugh at him.

But Hinata held him before he could get up.

"You would never be a bother to me, why do you say that...?" Hinata looked like he was about to cry. He didn't understand what was happening to his friend, or why he was so angry at everything.

"Y-you will never be disowned by anyone. You are nice, a good friend and nobody hates you. I, on the other hand, am the worst. Nobody loves me... Why would you have a friend like me?"

"I love you…"

"You'll end up hating me, like everyone else. You'll end up leaving me out. I will end up being a nuisance to you" Hinata shook his head, and Tobio shook himself off.

As a child, these differences didn't seem so bad to him. Hinata was incredible to him. But now that they had spent so many years apart and having heard over and over again how good Hinata was and how bad he was, that worship had collapsed.

Envy. He was envious of him. And, at the same time, it generated such insecurity that he felt pathetic by his side.

"You are too good to have someone like me bothering you with their nonsense..." He finally stood up. Hinata immediately followed suit and stepped forward to avoid his escape. "You will never know what it is that they laugh at you every day. Having them chase you through the streets until they tire. Have things thrown at you in the middle of class. Let them make fun of you all over your face. Why you would be with me, if you would only see how pathetic I am as everyone else does? They will always love you..."

"You aren't pathetic... You are also good and..."

"At least, you know what it is that your mother loves you!" he ended up screaming. Hinata stepped back, but soon returned to his previous posture.

"Well, at least you have a father! A-at least you will not know what it is to be waiting for him all these years and realize that he won't come back... That he isn't in space and never was..."

Tobio froze. Hinata sobbed and covered his face.

"I-I needed you, Tobi, I needed to talk to you... Feel that I had you with me... B-but you ignored me..."

Hinata started crying, and Tobio didn't know what to do. It was horrible to see a creature as happy as him burst into tears.

"I…"

"You. You think you're the only one who feels lonely... Mom was sad and I couldn't play with her. My uncles took care of her all the time, and I couldn't do anything because I was little... I made friends, but I needed the one I love the most..."

Tobio lowered his head and was silent.

"I thought by coming back here, I'd get you back. That we would play again, that we would laugh again... But no. You've just been growling, getting mad at everything and reproaching me for things that aren't my fault."

Tobio trembled and sobbed. Because of him, now he would definitely lose him. For not controlling his frustration, for not knowing how to carry on a normal conversation, he had screwed up. As always when someone tried to talk to him. He was a total failure.

"P-please don't hate me..." he murmured, highlighting his greatest fear.

"I-I couldn't..."

"It's my fault, isn't it...?" It's my fault, not having friends... I've been a bad friend with the ones I had and... And I deserve to be alone..."

"I-it's not your fault that these things were done to you..."

The two looked at each other, their eyes filled with tears. Soon neither of them could articulate a word because of the sobs. They could only watch the other cry.

"I-I'm sorry I was a bad friend, and that I stopped talking to you..." Tobio said at last. "I-I'm sorry I blamed you for everything..."

"Be my friend again... I never stopped being yours."

Tobio nodded and they hugged each other tightly. He held on tight to Hinata, the fear of losing him too intense. Hinata stroked his back, wanting to show that he would never leave him.

"You are loved, Tobi... Those silly children who bothered you can go down the toilet. I am here and I won't let anyone laugh at you. Also, we can find new friends and get the old ones back. Yachi and Yamaguchi were hurt to see you no more"

They parted a little and Hinata smiled at him. Despite still having tears running down his cheeks, his smile was sincere.

"And I have a trick… When you didn't answer and I couldn't be distracted, I would go somewhere alone and… I would scream"

"You scream?"

"Yes, that's how I let off steam. Do you want to try it with me?"

"Okay..." Tobio took his hand timidly and Hinata led him to the top of the hill. From there they could see the entire city and the sun beginning to set. "What should I do?"

"I've already say it to you, scream."

Tobio wasn't entirely sure of that, but he had done enough bad things today to him, so he preferred to trust him.

At first he let out a shy moan. Screaming like that, without further ado, was more difficult than it seemed. Then, little by little, the volume increased. Hinata, next to him and with his hand tightly clasped in his, screamed. Tobio soon reached his tone and the two ended up screaming as loudly as their lungs would allow before running out of air.

Hinata's scream soon ended, and he stopped crying. Tobio's was acquiring a roar of fury, of anger at the world. He fell to the ground, exhausted, and continued crying. Hinata sat next to him and rubbed his head for Tobio to hug him. He did, so he leaned on his shoulder and stayed that way until the dark-haired boy stopped crying.

Hinata kissed him on the cheek.

"I forgive you, for being unfriendly to me" he promised, and Tobio nodded. "I swear I will never leave you alone. I may have thousands of friends, but you are the only friend that really matters to me"

"D-do you love me...?" He whispered shyly.

"Yes. And you love me?"

"Yes, me too" he said sincerely.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short, but I want this fic to end at 20/20. Enjoy the penultimate chapter

As night fell, they returned to their respective houses. Now that he was alone, Tobio again felt down. He would trust his friend, he always had, but he couldn't help but still be afraid. Today could have been a complete disaster if Hinata hadn't forgiven him. He couldn't afford something like that again...

"Tobio-chan...?" He heard when he got home. He didn't feel like talking to his father, so he quickened his pace. "What's happening? What is that face?"

He wasn't in time to reach his room, Oikawa didn't allow it. He looked concerned that his son had red eyes from crying.

"Weren't you with Hinata? Something has happened?" Tobio was slow to reply, but nodded. "Did you fight? Tell me..."

"Y-you could say that yes, we fought. But we have fixed it"

"You look sad. Come on, tell me. What's wrong?" Tobio shrugged. Oikawa knew there was something he wanted to say, but it didn't come out. He took him into the living room, sat him on the sofa and called Iwaizumi. He would help him explain himself. "It's time for you to talk to us, Tobio-chan, it will do you good."

"We know it's complicated," added Iwaizumi. "But you can count on us."

Tobio looked at them one by one and hugged a pillow. He loved his parents, but the same thing happened to him as with Hinata. What if they were tired of him?

"I-I spoke to him badly. Hinata started crying... H-he forgave me but..., I wasn't well. I hurt him..."

"Then you should avoid doing it again. Think before saying things"

"Am I a bad friend?"

"Friends argue. Sometimes they break up and sometimes they make peace and move on. Hinata forgave you, now you have to forgive yourself and stick with him"

"B-but Iwa-chan, I stopped talking to him... What if I do it again and he gets mad?"

"Did you stop talking to him?" Tobio nodded. "Why?"

"B-because I sure would bother him... A-as always..."

"You are not annoying, Tobio-chan."

"Yes, I am, Dad. Everybody hate me"

"That's not true, many people love you. We love you, and the rest of the family too. And Hinata more, you are his best friend"

"They-laugh at me, say I'm weird... T-they don't stop, and they make up absurd nicknames and rumours. They don't let me in peace…"

"Why don't you tell us these things?" Iwaizumi said. Although Junko had told them what was happening in elementary school, they wanted it to be the boy himself who would tell it as they tried to do something with the teachers. But in high school, they didn't control it. "We could have done something."

"N-not to offend, Iwa-chan, but the teachers never do anything."

"Tobio-chan, that some silly children laugh at you shows who is the annoying here. You are better, you are good and also cuter than them. Surely they envy you"

"Whether or not they envy you, Tobio, you are better than their comments. And I am sure that everything can be solved, you will see how some teacher is helpful. You just have to trust us and tell us everything they do to you, so we can help you"

"Everything…?"

"Everything, it's not good to keep things. Your father and I understand you perfectly, we know how difficult it is to speak. But we are a family, and we have to be united, don't you think?"

"B-but..."

"You don't bother us, Tobio-chan, Oikawa assured him. "You are our son, we will never leave you behind."

Tobio held onto the pillow a little more as Iwaizumi stroked his back. He certainly felt protected right now. In fact, he had always been, but his insecurities played tricks on him and he believed that his parents didn't want him. So he felt like a stranger in his own home.

In addition, there was a tricky topic that had been silent for a long time.

"Dad, I... O-One day I read some magazines for a collage in elementary school and..."

"What did you read?"

"They were talking about you. And I did math... I was an accident..."

Oikawa was slow to react. He never believed that his son would read those magazines and articles that gave him so many headaches a few years ago. It was a forgotten matter already, the journalists had left him alone, but now his son had read it all.

"Don't hide it, I know that nobody wants to have children at eighteen…"

"Okay, I'll be honest with you." Oikawa took the pillow from him so he could take him by the hands. "It's true, I didn't plan to have you… In fact, I never wanted to have children. But it happened one night when I was very drunk and... she took advantage of it. But you know what? It does not matter. Now I have you..."

"So I did was a nuisance..."

"No! It was difficult, I don't deny you, but I don't know what would become of me if you were missing me. And everything we've been through together? Our adventures? All that wouldn't have happened if I had not had you. And I love you"

"B-but..."

"Tobio," added Iwaizumi. "That doesn't mean that we don't love you now. We have learned to take care of you, and we are ready to do everything for you. It doesn't matter if we were eighteen as if we were forty. Love remains the same"

Tobio began to cry when he heard them. He had accused them just as he did Hinata. On second thought, the two of them had never given him any indication of hating him, but it was difficult to reason.

"My boy, come here," Oikawa crooned, hugging him. Tobio snuggled into his chest and held on tight. "I know it hurts and that you will continue to have doubts, but don't forget that you have us, and your friend. Take care of and you will be cared for equally"

Tobio nodded.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that... hell of a mother, but we can't let it take us ahead. We are better than her, we are a family and we love each other. Iwa-chan and I will always protect you"

Oikawa was stroking him for a long time until Tobio stopped shaking. It was important that everything he hadn't done with Hinata be released. Once he had calmed down, they separated.

"I love you," he assured him. Tobio nodded, believing it.

Then, he turned and hugged Iwaizumi. Hajime held him in his arms, transmitting the security that always characterized him.

"Okay, now make a face happy, because I'll make you a good plate of curry for dinner," he said, followed by a round of tickling that made the boy laugh. "Can you help me prepare it?"

"Yes," Tobio agreed. He and Iwaizumi got up from the sofa and made their way to the kitchen while Oikawa watched them from there.

It was nice to do things again with the son, after so long being so far away. Tobio was still somewhat limp, but at least he was more receptive and amused by his jokes.

Oikawa knew the boy would have a hard time saying things, like father like son. But what he needed most was time and to be by his side, supporting him.

And they always would.

\---------time skip-----------

Tobio straightened his black jacket, smoothing it with his hand. He looked in the rear-view mirror of a parked car and saw that it was decent. The new uniform was classic, but not bad.

He got scared when the car window rolled down, there was someone inside while he was grooming himself in front of the rear-view mirror! He walked away rather embarrassed and faced the building opposite: Karasuno High School.

Hinata was immediately at his side.

"Tobi, look how beautiful it is!" He said proudly. "We are going to be here..."

Tobio nodded just as excitedly and they held hands, ready to enter.

"Are you going to be cuddly at the door of the institute? Shameless" Tsukishima released them, appearing from behind with Yamaguchi.

"You're starting to bark now, Tsukishima," Hinata faced him. "Why did you have to come?"

"Believe me, it annoys me more than you, sharing the halls with the two of you."

"Come on, Tsukki," Yamaguchi calmed him. "Let's have a good course!"

Tsukishima sighed.

"At least, we won't be in the same class" said that, he entered the school.

"Hitoka is already inside, she said she would meet us at recess," Yamaguchi said goodbye, leaving with him. "See you in a while!"

"Don't you feel like a super nice feeling?" Hinata said. "It's like getting home."

"Yes." Tobio looked at his friend. He looked radiant and, as always, he ended up spreading his good humour. He was optimistic, maybe high school wouldn't be hell as middle school had been. "Let's go?"

"Sure, and I'll catch the desk by the window!" Hinata exclaimed before running.

"Hinata, you idiot, I will have the window!" And went after him.

Neither of them could have the window because they put them in order of last name, being the first day of school.

As they had said, Yachi and Yamaguchi (dragging Tsukishima with them) met the two of them during breaks between classes and at recess. It was the first time in years that Tobio spent those hours in the company of someone and it was a wonderful thing.

Neither of them reproached him for walking away from them, although he supposed that Tsukishima didn't care at all. It was fine like that, he told himself.

Everything was fine.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haikyuu is ending and so is this fanfic.  
> I'm crying and you will do too.

He was Tobio Oikawa and was about to turn eighteen. He was tall (he was already over 1.80cm) and, as they said, he looked like his paternal grandfather. His parents were a presenter journalist for the sports section of a television news and an elementary P. E teacher. It could be said that his studies were not very... acceptable, according to conventional parameters, but he had a specific gift in volleyball.

People said he was a genius. That he had inherited good genes from his father, and that he was worth a lot, even to be professional. Tobio was excited, of course, because that is what he wanted. Being good at one thing when you are terrible with the rest, makes you cling to it and never let go.

Tobio loved that sport. His place in the world was the volleyball court, where he felt alive. That is what he really wanted. What he really loved. Keep going, over and over until you reach the top. Go on and never stop. Set, serve, observe, jump... win.

Of course all that didn't matter now, planted in front of a dais, picking up his high school diploma.

Well, to tell the truth, it did matter.

Tobio had managed to graduate after battling monsters called exams for three years. That's it, he had already finished high school and he could dedicate himself fully to what he wanted: volleyball.

In fact, he was nervous. Not because of the ceremony, but because later he has a volleyball trial. He could have chosen another time, of course, but Tobio didn't want to waste time. He couldn't wait three or six months for the next trials without doing anything.

"Tobi, we made it. We have finished school" Hinata said, his faithful companion in battles.

"And thanks to whom?" Tsukishima blurted out, head held high. Hinata and Tobio frowned, but they both knew he was right.

"Well," Hinata admitted. "Maybe you helped us a little..."

"If it wasn't for me, you would still be in first year."

"And if it weren't for those mysterious papers in the middle of the exam, too," Yamaguchi added.

"We didn't cheat that much, either..."

"That's not good," said Yachi. "Then you will not know how to really study... What if you cannot cheat on other exams...?"

"I don't want to continue studying," the two boys said at the same time, very convinced.

They had no plans to go to college. To play volleyball you don't need studies.

"Ah, Tobi!" Hinata exclaimed suddenly. "We have the trial, we must go now! We have ten minutes left!"

"I told you to warn me before, idiot!"

"That happens for trusting that hollow head, hollow head #2"

"Silence, Tsukishima."

Tobio and Hinata ran towards the exit of the school. They couldn't waste much more time, or they wouldn't let them participate. And that would be terrible. They met their respective parents out there. Oikawa had to stop him before they collided.

"Tobio-chan, easy…"

"There is no time, I have to go!" He exclaimed nervously. He handed him the diploma so that he wouldn't have to take it everywhere.

"But we wanted to go eat somewhere and celebrate your graduation," Iwaizumi explained.

"Not now! Later... Or have dinner! Have dinner, yes?"

"Tobio, take it easy. You will be on time" Iwaizumi managed to calm him down. "Now you must concentrate a lot, that way you won't do anything wrong"

"I will do it."

"Tobio-chan..." Oikawa mused, now he was the one who was nervous. "Whatever happens... Have fun. And if something happens, you can always try again, okay? You are not a failure..."

"Yeah"

"And now go and fly. And call me!" Tobio nodded. He and Hinata started running again, this time holding hands so as not to get lost. They almost flew, how fast they were going.

Oikawa and Iwaizumi watched as their son walked away. Neither of them said anything, but it wasn't uncomfortable. It was quite an emotional moment. Their wild boy had already graduated from high school and would begin his adult life. It was time to let it go.

"Look at him, Iwa-chan... Three days ago he was a boy, and now..."

"He still is," Iwaizumi said honestly. "You look worried"

"I am… what if they reject him?"

"You said yourself that he can try again."

"Sure, but... could he bear it? Or worse, what if it happens the same as me and they reject him for... for...?"

"You are welcome. That happened a long time ago, and things change. It is what they should do. Tobio has a better chance of being accepted, not only because he is good but because they will not look beyond him. They won't care about your family or your relationships"

"If that was so easy... I don't know, Iwa-chan, for me it was quite hard, you know..."

"Yes, but you couldn't try again, because we had to take care of a baby. But he hasn't, he is young and can still fall and rise again. He can fly"

"I guess so"

"You know what? I don't want the plan to go out to eat not being fulfilled. How about we both go?"

"Of course"

Oikawa's mood instantly improved. It was always perfect to spend time alone with his Iwa-chan. They held hands and began to walk together.

"Oh, by the way, Akaashi and Bokuto are getting married."

"Well, it was about time."

"Bokuto will travel to Canada for a tournament, so they will take advantage and Akaashi will go with him. When they come back, they will have a party. Akaashi told me that he will send us the invitations in a week"

"That's great…"

They kept talking about trivial things, as they entered a restaurant. They waited a bit and then attended to them. Once the orders were made, Oikawa suddenly became serious.

"What's wrong?" Iwaizumi asked, instantly noticing the change. "You don't like the place?"

Oikawa was quite capricious about places to eat, so maybe he was feeling spoiled. But that wasn't the expression he put on when something displeased him, but that of something that worried him. Was he thinking about his past again?

"I just... I don't know if you're going to like this, but I've thought of something."

"I have one fear"

"It's not a bad thing! Well, at least for me…” Iwaizumi nodded and remained silent, without interrupting. "You see, it's just that… We are still young, and Tobio-chan has grown up and will soon leave the nest… And we will miss him, I know. I miss him already and he's not even gone!

"I understand you"

"Well… Well, I thought we could have more children"

"Seriously?" Oikawa nodded.

"That's why I say we are young, Iwa-chan. And this time we know how to care for a child, right? We haven't done it so badly… And it could have your last name, if you want!"

"I don't care about the last name but..."

"Iwa-chan, you like children. You take good care of them, you're a great father. Can't we have more, and grow our family?"

"Y-you surprise me... I mean, before you would have refused to have children and now you want more."

"Tobio-chan has given me so many good things… Despite all the drama we have suffered, we are fine. Why not feel that love again? Without forgetting our child, of course, Tobio-chan will always be our little son. We will give him a little brother or sister. What do you say?"

"How would we have them...?"

"Ah, we can adopt. We have money, they pay me well. Come on, Iwa-chan, let's give some orphan baby a good home"

"It's a lot of paperwork."

"I know, but we can be with them for the rest of our lives. I think it's worth the wait"

Oikawa leaned down and took him by the hands. Normally, when he begged for a whim, he looked really upset and childish, but not now. It wasn't a whim, not at all, and he looked pretty serious about it. Iwaizumi trusted him, knew that he really wanted children.

And, well, he always liked children.

"It's okay"

"Really?"

"Yes, let's give Tobio a brother or sister."

"Ah, I love you so much!" Oikawa planted a good kiss on his mouth, and Iwaizumi blushed a lot. "If either of we were a woman, I would have twenty children with you!

"Tooru, stop screaming!"

"But since none of them is, at least we can do the process..."

"Oh my god." Iwaizumi has never been so red in his life. Oikawa laughed, well satisfied.

Oikawa stopped making jokes and they were able to eat normally, while making plans for the future kid. Iwaizumi dropped a couple of times that he wanted a girl, Oikawa wanted to wait later to see options. To all that, they looked happy to be able to expand their family. Iwaizumi had always wanted to have children, and Oikawa had learned how with Tobio.

Later, the two of them went home and curled up on the couch. They almost fall asleep, but they waited for their son to call them to tell them how the trials had gone. Therefore, they talked to each other from time to time to avoid falling asleep.

After a while, it was Iwaizumi's turn to get serious. Normally he was, of course, but when he put it that way it meant something was on his mind. Oikawa was watching him for a long time, Hajime seemed not to be there. If Iwaizumi was having insecurities, he would have to say it. It was their pact.

"Iwa-chan." The man had a hard time reacting. "What are you thinking about?"

"That I too have something to tell you." Oikawa settled into his chest. Iwaizumi patted his back a little, and that calmed him down a bit. It wasn't a bad thing, apparently. "Um... I want... er..."

"Come on, Iwa-chan, are you going to propose to me or something?" Tooru joked, but was instantly silent when Iwaizumi looked at him very seriously. He sat up with wide eyes in surprise. "What…?"

"W-We could do like Bokuto and Akaashi, or something…"

"B-but Iwa-chan, you said you didn't want to. That being married or not would not change how we are now..."

"I know..." Iwaizumi failed to stay serious and looked away, reddened. "B-but, look, I've been thinking about it. Something we could do... We've been together a long time, right? I hadn't thought about it for that, but… At the same time, I think we should do something"

Oikawa covered his mouth with his hands and jumped up and down, excited. Hearing that proposition and seeing Iwaizumi blushing made him want to scream.

"Iwa-chan, let's have a great wedding!" he exclaimed, throwing himself on top of him.

"I would like something simple, actually…"

"You're wearing the dress, please!"

"What? No!"

From there, Oikawa was teasing him for hours on the subject. Iwaizumi came to think about whether it had been a good idea, because Oikawa was planning the wedding as if it were a national event. He looked like a parrot from so many times that he talked about the subject, and the details of the wedding, the banquet, the clothes... He insisted a lot on a good ring.

Iwaizumi was able to distract him for a while by starting to kiss and touch him, but even that didn't work because he immediately returned to the attack.

Although the melody of a mobile phone was the only thing that took Oikawa out of his brilliant plan. They had waited for that call for hours, Iwaizumi came to listen. Oikawa immediately calmed down and replied:

"Tobio-chan...?"

His son, in the midst of an extraordinary uproar, made himself heard immediately. He was nervous and excited at the same time. His parents approached the mobile.

"I have passed the trial!"

END

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hii!!!! This is the end of this long-ass fanfic. Thank you so much if you've reached this point!! I'm glad it have so many kudos and hits, and some replies that says this is your favourite fanfic. I scream whenever I see those comments! Thank you, thank you to have joined me in this journey and thank you for staying and supporting this family with issues! I love you so much!


End file.
